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Philstar.com

November 13, 2025 | 7:41am

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has underscored its commitment to empowering local governance and disaster resilience as the Senate opened this week its plenary deliberations on the P6.793 trillion 2026 General Appropriations bill.

In the early rounds of debates, fund allocations for local govenment units and disaster-response programs emerged as central priorities, reflecting Malacanang’s focus on empowering communities and ensuring swift recovery from calamities.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the DBM remains focused on improving fiscal discipline and the efficient use of public funds, particularly at the local level, to ensure that development projects are fully implemented and responsive to community needs.

“We really need to improve the budget utilization of the government, including and especially the local government units,” said Pangandaman. 

“The most important thing for all of us, especially the implementing agencies, is to ensure that every one of those projects is carried out,” she added.

The debate agenda highlighted key appropriations under the Local Government Support Fund, special shares of LGUs in national tax proceeds and fire-code fees, death benefits for barangay officials, as well as the budgets for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Contingent Fund, Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, Pension and Gratuity Fund and Unprogrammed Appropriations.

The DBM said these allocations are intended to reinforce LGU capacities in infrastructure development, disaster preparedness and social welfare delivery, particularly in provinces hit hardest by recent natural disasters.

The agency added that its focus on disaster funds follows back-to-back typhoons that devastated several regions this year. Typhoon Tino, which lashed the Visayas and northern Palawan, affected nearly 1.95 million Filipinos, forcing more than 40,000 families in Cebu alone to evacuate amid widespread flooding. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) recorded 188 fatalities from the storm.

Soon after, Super Typhoon Uwan battered eastern and northern provinces, displacing 1.4 million residents and cutting off power to nearly 3 million households, according to the Philippine News Agency.

Lawmakers have since called for tighter coordination between national agencies and LGUs to ensure that disaster response and local infrastructure funds are released promptly and utilized effectively, preventing bureaucratic bottlenecks that often delay relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Senators from both majority and minority blocs echoed the call for greater fiscal transparency and accountability mechanisms, especially for funds channeled through local governments.

The plenary debates on the 2026 GAB are expected to continue through the coming weeks as the Senate scrutinizes sectoral budgets and government spending priorities before final approval.

November 13, 2025 | 7:30am

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) said that former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan can leave the country.

On Tuesday, November 11, the DOJ and the Bureau of Immigration confirmed that the former DPWH chief had departed to accompany his wife for a medical procedure.

He is expected to be abroad until December 17, according to DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez.

Despite being accused by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) of negligence for allegedly failing to prevent the plunder of public funds, Martinez explained that Bonoan does not need to seek permission from the DOJ because he does not have a “pending case.”

“Given that wala pong pending case, wala pong pending hold departure order arising from any pending case, hindi po namin mapipigilan pag-alis,” Martinez explained on Wednesday, November 12.

(Given that there is no pending case, and there is no pending hold departure order arising from any pending case, we cannot prevent [their] departure.)

He explained that Bonoan only has an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO), which directs immigration authorities to monitor individuals leaving the country, typically those who are subjects of ongoing investigations or legal cases.

It differs from a hold departure order, which is a court-issued directive preventing an individual from leaving the country.

In this case, Martinez explained that because Bonoan is not charged before a court, there is no reason to issue a hold departure order, as only the courts can issue such orders.

“The ILBO ensures that bawat galaw ninyo ay tracked, bawat galaw ninyo ay monitored, reported,” Martinez explained.

(The ILBO ensures that your every movement is tracked, your every movement is monitored, [and] reported.)

Probe to continue after departure. On Tuesday, ICI spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka said the commission will continue its investigation and has already referred its findings to the Office of the Ombudsman, regardless of Bonoan’s whereabouts.

Bonoan resigned shortly after the ICI report was released on November 6, accusing him of “inexcusable negligence tantamount to fraud” for allowing the alleged plunder of public funds. The report flagged several suspicious flood control projects, including a P95-million anomaly in Bulacan.

November 13, 2025 | 7:30am

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) said that former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan can leave the country.

On Tuesday, November 11, the DOJ and the Bureau of Immigration confirmed that the former DPWH chief had departed to accompany his wife for a medical procedure.

He is expected to be abroad until December 17, according to DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez.

Despite being accused by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) of negligence for allegedly failing to prevent the plunder of public funds, Martinez explained that Bonoan does not need to seek permission from the DOJ because he does not have a “pending case.”

“Given that wala pong pending case, wala pong pending hold departure order arising from any pending case, hindi po namin mapipigilan pag-alis,” Martinez explained on Wednesday, November 12.

(Given that there is no pending case, and there is no pending hold departure order arising from any pending case, we cannot prevent [their] departure.)

He explained that Bonoan only has an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO), which directs immigration authorities to monitor individuals leaving the country, typically those who are subjects of ongoing investigations or legal cases.

It differs from a hold departure order, which is a court-issued directive preventing an individual from leaving the country.

In this case, Martinez explained that because Bonoan is not charged before a court, there is no reason to issue a hold departure order, as only the courts can issue such orders.

“The ILBO ensures that bawat galaw ninyo ay tracked, bawat galaw ninyo ay monitored, reported,” Martinez explained.

(The ILBO ensures that your every movement is tracked, your every movement is monitored, [and] reported.)

Probe to continue after departure. On Tuesday, ICI spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka said the commission will continue its investigation and has already referred its findings to the Office of the Ombudsman, regardless of Bonoan’s whereabouts.

Bonoan resigned shortly after the ICI report was released on November 6, accusing him of “inexcusable negligence tantamount to fraud” for allowing the alleged plunder of public funds. The report flagged several suspicious flood control projects, including a P95-million anomaly in Bulacan.

November 13, 2025 | 7:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Hi-Tone Construction Corp. may face a case from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for failing to repair a collapsed seawall in Navotas City and causing severe flooding.

After inspecting flood control structures in Navotas City post-Typhoon “Uwan,” Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Wednesday that a gap had formed in a Manila Bay seawall, caused by a barge belonging to Hi-Tone Construction, a top flood control contractor.

“‘Yun pong barge na may dredger siya, nabangga nung huling bagyo nabangga ‘yung flood wall nasira, nabutas,” he said over Super Radyo dzBB on November 12. 

(The barge with a dredger collided during the last storm, hitting the flood wall, which was damaged and punctured.)

Hi-Tone Construction is owned by Christopher Co, the brother of former Rep. Elizaldy Co, who has been facing allegations of corruption amid the flood control scandal. 

Dizon said four months have already passed, yet the seawall has not been repaired. The collapsed seawall eventually caused residents in Navotas to experience severe flooding during Typhoon “Uwan.” 

Given the importance of flood control structures in protecting low-lying coastal areas from storm surges, the DPWH chief said the seawall must be repaired immediately.

But instead of having Hi-Tone Construction carry out the repairs, Dizon said the DPWH will handle the work to avoid risking any more delays. Still, he said the contractor will have to bear the cost and pay back the government for the damages caused.

“DPWH na lang ang mapapagawa, pero kakasuhan na lang namin si Hi-Tone dahil sa ginawa niyang pinsala doon. Tapos kailangan ibalik niya ang perang gagastusin ng gobyerno kasi hindi na tayo makakapaghintay,” he said.  

(The DPWH will handle the repairs, but we will file a case against Hi-Tone for the damage they caused. They will also have to reimburse the government for the cost, since we can’t afford to wait.)

Navotas City is located just along the eastern shoreline of Manila Bay, which explains why the damaged seawall could cause water to spill into the city. 

Repairing the seawall may start this week, Dizon said. 

Estero de Paco floodgate

The DPWH has also directed the repair of Manila’s Estero de Paco floodgate, which gave way under the heavy floodwaters from Uwan over the weekend.

“So bumigay ‘yung gate mismo at dahil doon hindi na magamit yung mga pumping station sa Estero de Paco,” Dizon said. (The gate itself gave way, and as a result, the pumping stations in Estero de Paco could no longer be used.)

He added that, since the floodgate is still covered by warranty, the contractor could repair it and the pumps within two weeks, ensuring they can withstand strong storms like Uwan. Repairs started on Tuesday, November 11. 

In the meantime, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will deploy mobile pumps for the three barangays affected by the damaged Estero de Paco floodgate. 

The pumps will allow any water to flow through the canal or creek, so that Paco, Manila residents won’t have to suffer high floodwaters when it rains. 
 
Dizon said the DPWH will look into the floodgate’s contract should there be any anomalies in its construction, but for now, it is more urgent to have it repaired while the country experiences typhoons.