Hisbah stops alleged same-sex wedding in Kano, arrests 25 suspects

The Kano State Hisbah Office has successfully stopped an attempted same-sex marriage ceremony in the city and arrested 25 persons linked to the illicit affair.

However, the Deputy Commander General (Special Operations) of the Board, Sheikh Dr Mujahid Aminuddeen Abubakar, while confirming the arrest, said the suspects were apprehended following an intelligence tip-off from a concerned resident.

The board noted that the 25 young men and women were arrested for allegedly organising an event for an attempted same-sex marriage at an event centre in Hotoro Bypass, Tarauni Local Government Area of the state on Saturday night.

According to him, ‘The intelligence indicated that one Abubakar Idris was allegedly planning to tie the knot with another young man.’

Mujahid then disclosed that the Hisbah operatives stormed the venue and discovered a party in progress under dim lighting conditions.

He further disclosed that on arrival, Hisbah personnel found a gathering of young men and women engaging in what appeared to be a marriage.

Dr Mujahid added that 25 individuals were arrested-18 men, referred to as ‘yan daudu, and seven women from various areas, including Sheka, Yar Gaya and Kofar Nasarawa.

He stated that all the suspects are currently in Hisbah custody and will be charged to court after investigations are completed.

The Deputy Commander urged parents and guardians to instil sound moral values in their children and called on the public to report suspicious activities to Hisbah or other relevant authorities.

He therefore reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring a morally upright society and maintaining Kano State’s reputation as a community guided by discipline and Islamic principles.

Ododo assures fair, transparent APC governorship primary in Ekiti

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has assured a fair, transparent and credible process in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Ekiti State.

The Governor, in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Hon. Ismaila Isah, promised to be fair to all stakeholders and ensure that the exercise reflects unity, peace and internal democracy within the party.

Governor Ododo emphasised that his commitment is to oversee a process that will be acceptable to all stakeholders and party members, noting that the committee under his leadership will uphold the integrity and democratic values of the APC.

He assured that every stakeholder will be carried along in line with the guidelines of the party to produce a flag bearer for the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State.

Governor Ododo, who chaired the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee in Ondo State in April 2024, expressed confidence that the Ekiti exercise will be peaceful and transparent in line with procedures for internal party democracy.

He stated that fairness and inclusiveness remain the guiding principles of the committee and reiterated his readiness to deliver a process that will strengthen the unity of the party in Ekiti State.

The APC, in a letter signed by its National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, announced the appointment of Governor Ododo as Chairman of the Committee to oversee the consensus mode of the governorship primary in Ekiti State.

According to the letter addressed to the APC Chairman in Ekiti State, Hon. Sola Elesin, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was appointed Deputy Chairman, while Rt. Hon. Taiwo Sunmonu will serve as Secretary.

Other members of the committee include Iyom Nikky Ejezie, Hon. Elis Ihijator Abraham, Hon. Rufus Bature, Hon. Latif Ibirogba, Dr Chibuzor Nduaguba Agu, Chief Dr Gabriel Oyibode, Chief Hope Dike and Engr. Shehu Umaru Dange.

The APC consensus governorship primary election in Ekiti State is scheduled for Monday, 27 October 2025.

SANs demand probe into ‘disappearance’ of N18.6bn for NASS project

Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mba Ukweni and Chief Solo Akuma, have condemned the alleged disappearance of ?18.6 billion reportedly allocated for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) office complex, calling for urgent investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Their comments came following a call by Lagos-based rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), urging the leadership of the National Assembly to explain the whereabouts of the funds.

Speaking exclusively with Tribune Online, Mba Ukweni, SAN, described the incident as a monumental shame, insisting that the sum could not simply go missing without a trace.

He rejected the description of the fund as missing, arguing that it was plainly stolen.

‘A lot of ridiculous things happen in this country that people should be ashamed to mention. How can ?18.6 billion be said to be missing? Such a huge sum cannot just disappear.

‘If it was moved through banks, it is traceable. If it was stolen in cash, the perpetrators are known. The money was not missing; it was stolen,’ Ukweni said.

The Senior Advocate added that with Nigeria’s financial monitoring systems, such a transaction could easily be traced.

‘The EFCC, ICPC, and DSS should immediately be brought in to trace where the money went. They already know where that money is. The National Assembly leadership cannot feign ignorance,’ he maintained.

Calling the development a national embarrassment, Ukweni said it was regrettable that public officials had reduced corruption to a laughing matter, referencing past scandals such as the infamous ‘snake swallowing money’ episode in government offices.

‘Some time ago, they said a snake swallowed money. Nobody killed the snake to retrieve it. This time, ?18.6 billion is missing. I don’t know what swallowed it, perhaps another animal.

‘But the truth is, it’s not missing. It’s stolen, and the thieves should be named, shamed, and prosecuted,’ he said.

Ukweni stressed that the recurring culture of impunity in Nigeria’s public sector persists because corrupt officials are rarely punished.

‘The reason our justice system is weak is that wrongdoers are not condemned or punished appropriately.

‘Until those responsible for this ?18.6 billion theft are made to face justice, others will continue to steal with confidence.

‘Today, ?18.6 billion is missing; tomorrow, the entire national budget could disappear,’ he warned.

He emphasised that dealing decisively with the culprits would help deter future misappropriations.

‘There’s no society that tolerates this level of corruption and survives, not even a family.

‘If corruption becomes a way of life, it destroys the moral fabric of the community,’ he added.

Also speaking with Tribune Online, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Solo Akuma, linked the scandal to institutional weakness and the failure of the Office of the Auditor-General to enforce proper financial oversight.

‘The Auditor-General should be the first point of accountability. Every withdrawal from public funds must have a justification tied to an approved project.

‘If ?18.6 billion left the treasury without proper oversight, then the Auditor-General failed in his duty,’ Akuma said.

He noted that the National Assembly has its own internal auditor, apart from the Auditor-General of the Federation, both of whom should have flagged any irregular movement of such a large sum.

‘You don’t just walk into a bank and withdraw ?18.6 billion. It passes through processes.

‘Did the Auditor-General give approval? Did the internal auditor query the transaction? If both remained silent, then they shared responsibility,’ Akuma stated.

Akuma urged anti-graft agencies to act swiftly, lamenting that corruption cases involving powerful individuals are often ignored.

‘Now that SERAP has raised this issue, the EFCC must step in. Visit the project site, find out who the contract was awarded to, how much was released, and whether any work has been done.

‘But what do we see? When certain personalities are involved, they close their eyes. That’s selective justice,’ he said.

He warned that until Nigeria strengthens its audit systems and empowers financial watchdogs to act without political interference, such scandals would persist.

‘We must put people of courage and integrity in the Auditor-General’s office, people who will not approve payments for non-existent projects.

‘Otherwise, we’ll keep losing billions while the poor continue to suffer,’ Akuma added.

Air Peace commences direct flight from Abuja to London

Air Peace, an indigenous airline, has commenced direct flights from Abuja to London Heathrow, the United Kingdom (UK).

Speaking at the ceremonial take-off of the direct flight on Sunday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema, praised the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for his bold intervention.

‘I could remember when the Customs introduced a 4% FOB charge for our imports – aviation operators,’ he told assembled guests.

‘We went to the Honourable Minister, and he stepped into it immediately – he took the matter to the Finance Minister and to Customs. Today, within one week, the 4% FOB has been removed for Nigerian airlines. And you tell me why I will not support or applaud this government.

‘When the government listens to the yearnings and aspirations of the people, their complaints and challenges, this is what we need. When Nigerian helicopter and airline owners cried to the Honourable Minister about a certain charge, he removed it on the spot to make life easier for these airlines.

‘So it’s not just about Air Peace. Every airline in this country should speak up about what this regime has done for them,’ he stated.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, led a contingent of distinguished passengers and dignitaries in the ceremonial send-off of the historic inaugural direct flight of Air Peace from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (ABV), to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).

Speaking at the airport during the boarding of passengers, Keyamo noted that the success of the flight was rooted in the clear mandate from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – that local carriers be supported to thrive and survive.

‘With that mandate in our right hand, we went to work,’ the Minister stated. ‘We dug deep to discover the problems of local operators over the years. The mortality rate in our aviation sector for more than 40 years has been very high – over 100 airlines have come and gone: Concord, Bellview, Sosoliso, Chanchangi – name them.

‘So we had a clear mandate to ensure that we support the growth, sustenance, and competitiveness of our local operators.’

According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, the Minister emphasised the role of the private sector, stating that, ‘If you destroy the private sector in your country, you destroy the country.

‘Every good economy thrives on the wealth and well-being of the private sector – the greatest employer of labour and engine of growth. We have done all we can within our powers to give our local operators the muscle and leverage for fair competition.

‘International airlines have been coming to Nigeria for nearly 90 years on some routes, lifting passengers back and forth without our operators fully participating. Under our BASAs, we had rights too – but no capacity, no access, no slot at Heathrow. Today, that changes,’ he said.

The flight took off on the morning of 26 October 2025 and is expected to arrive in London this evening, marking a major milestone for Nigeria’s aviation industry.

The Abuja-London Heathrow route underscores Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing connectivity, supporting local aviation infrastructure, and promoting flag carriers on the global stage.

Raining season: Five easy ways to dry your clothes quickly

This makes it difficult to get clothes properly dried, which can be frustrating for those who rely on sunshine as the primary method of drying. Fortunately, there are practical methods that can help you achieve this without waiting endlessly for the weather to change.

In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at five smart ways to dry your clothes quickly during the rainy season.

1. Use a standing or ceiling fan

When the sun refuses to shine, a fan becomes your best indoor ally. Position your damp clothes so the airflow from a standing or ceiling fan moves across them. This speeds up evaporation by constantly replacing humid air around the clothes with drier air. For even faster drying, make sure to space garments apart and avoid overlapping them.

2. Try indoor drying racks

Drying racks are especially useful during rainy months. Unlike draping clothes haphazardly, racks allow garments to be spaced out, improving airflow and reducing contact points where moisture lingers.

Well-ventilated indoor racks can also reduce the damp smell that often develops when clothes stay wet for long periods. According to The Spruce, spreading garments with space between them and using a fan near the rack can make indoor air drying much more effective.

3. Iron slightly damp clothes

Another useful technique for drying clothes during the rainy season is to iron them while they are still slightly damp. The heat from the iron not only speeds up the drying process but also removes wrinkles, saving you extra effort later. This method, however, is most effective for clothes that are already partially air-dried rather than dripping wet.

4. Make use of dryers or spinning machines

For those who have washing machines with spin-dry features or electric dryers, the rainy season is the perfect time to make full use of them. The spin cycle removes excess water from clothes, cutting down drying time significantly. Even if the clothes still need some air afterwards, they will dry much quicker.

5. Hang clothes near windows or ventilated areas

When there is no sun, ventilation becomes the next best thing. Hanging clothes close to windows, verandas, or areas with good airflow can make a noticeable difference. Fresh air helps clothes dry more quickly and prevents the musty smell that can develop if they remain damp for too long.

Five benefits of drinking water before bed

Water is life, and staying hydrated is essential for your overall health and well-being. While most people focus on drinking water during the day, the timing of hydration can also play an important role. The benefits of drinking water before bed go beyond just quenching thirst, but also support hydration, digestion, skin health, and overall well-being while you sleep.

Drinking water before bed is a simple habit that supports the body in surprising ways, from improving rest to aiding natural processes that occur while you sleep.

In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at five benefits of drinking water before bed.

1. Prevents dehydration overnight

Going several hours without fluids during sleep can leave the body dehydrated, leading to dry mouth, headaches, or difficulty concentrating the next morning.

Drinking water before bed helps replenish fluid levels and ensures the body stays hydrated through the night. This simple step makes waking up more refreshing and reduces the chances of grogginess linked to dehydration.

2. Aids digestion and detoxification

The body continues to work during sleep, especially the digestive system. Drinking water before bed assists with breaking down food, moving waste through the intestines, and supporting natural detox processes carried out by the liver and kidneys. This makes digestion smoother and helps the body eliminate toxins more efficiently.

3. Improves skin health

Hydration plays a vital role in maintaining healthy, glowing skin. When you drink water before bed, it supports moisture balance in the skin and reduces dryness that may develop overnight.

Proper hydration also helps maintain elasticity, making the skin look fresher in the morning. Consistent hydration contributes to healthier skin texture and appearance.

4. Supports body temperature regulation

Water plays a key role in regulating internal temperature. Drinking water before bed helps the body maintain an ideal balance, which is particularly important at night when natural temperature changes occur during different sleep cycles. This balance may contribute to more restful sleep and a better ability to stay comfortable through the night.

5. Promotes kidney and urinary tract health

Adequate hydration before sleep supports kidney function by aiding the removal of waste products from the bloodstream. It also helps reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

’In my house I am a queen,’ Regina Daniels buys new mansion in Lagos

Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels, has announced the purchase of a new mansion in Lagos amid ongoing reports of marital crisis with her husband, businessman and politician, Senator Ned Nwoko.

Sharing pictures of the property on Instagram on Sunday, the actress wrote, ‘In my house I am a Queen ! Needed a roof over my head so I got this for me and my family

The post comes a few days after a viral video showed Regina in tears, alleging that she had suffered violence in her marriage.

In the video, she said, ‘In Ned Nwoko’s house, I am nothing, but in my own house, I am a Queen. Not again. I can’t stand the violence, it’s too much.’

Responding to the viral clip, Nwoko denied allegations of domestic violence, attributing their marital issues to the actress’s alleged struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.

In a statement released, the senator claimed Regina’s substance use had strained their marriage, alleging that she had recently turned violent, attacked three of his staff, and damaged property within two days.

He explained that he had advised her to continue her rehabilitation either in Asokoro or abroad, where she would have limited access to drugs, expressing concern for her wellbeing.

Nwoko further alleged that Regina refused to take their son, Moon, to the hospital during a medical emergency and instead confronted a resident nurse who exposed her alleged drug use.

He also accused two individuals, identified as Sammy and Ann, of supplying drugs to the actress and causing chaos in his home during his absence.

He said, ‘Regina was not always like this. Her current battle with drugs and alcohol abuse is the root of our problem. She must continue her rehabilitation program, or I fear for her life and safety. Now she has moved to a place where she will have unrestricted access to drugs. I have other wives, and none will ever accuse me of violence.

‘Regina is the violent one here, slapping and hitting 3 staff in the past 48 hours and destroying property, including cars and windows, for no just cause. The truth is, I have set a clear condition for her to accept rehab in Asokoro or outside Nigeria especially Jordan where she will not have access to drugs.

‘A clear headed regina would have taken moon to the hospital but instead she even threatened to kill our resident nurse(for exposing her drugs abuse). While I took Moon to the hospital, a scene of chaos unfolded at home, orchestrated by Sammy, Regina’s main drug supplier. Another known supplier of drugs to Regina is the tiny evil devil called Ann.’

From loom to law: Legarda weaves culture and economy at NACF 2025

Senator Loren Legarda led the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Arts and Crafts Fair (NACF) on October 24 at SM Megamall, reaffirming her commitment to Filipino creativity, cultural preservation, and inclusive economic growth.

Now in its 8th edition, the NACF has become a vital national platform for over 300 artisans from across the country, showcasing indigenous textiles, handcrafted accessories, and sustainable materials. From the Abel weaving of Abra to the Patadyong of Antique and the beadwork of Zamboanga, each piece reflects the living heritage of the Filipino people.

‘It fills me with pride and joy to be here once again among our local artists, artisans, and cultural workers. The National Arts and Crafts Fair has always been close to my heart because it brings together the spirit, skill, and stories of the Filipino people.’ Legarda said. Legarda recalled the fair’s founding in 2016, driven by a clear mission: ‘To give our artisans a place where they could showcase their talent and reach more people.’ Today, the four-term senator said, the NACF stands as ‘one of the strongest symbols of Filipino creativity and pride.’

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, Legarda emphasized the vital link between culture and economy, citing key laws she championed that continue to shape the country’s creative landscape.

The National Cultural Heritage Act (Republic Act 10066), which she authored and co-sponsored, strengthened the preservation of historic sites, artworks, and traditions. The Magna Carta for MSMEs (Republic Act 9501), which the senator authored and principally sponsored, expanded access to training, finance, and markets for small entrepreneurs. The Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (Republic Act 11904), which she authored, institutionalized support for artists, designers, and creative entrepreneurs by creating spaces for learning, collaboration, and growth.

‘When we support our artisans, we protect our heritage while helping families and communities build better lives. Creativity is not only a cultural asset but also an economic one,’ Legarda said.

The senator also honored the country’s master artisans and Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or GAMABA awardees, calling them ‘living treasures’ who ‘carry the wisdom of generations.’

Legarda stressed the importance of sustaining programs like the Schools of Living Traditions (SLTs) to ensure that indigenous knowledge is passed on.

‘Our artisans show us that culture is alive. It is not locked in the past. It evolves as new generations add their own imagination and interpretation. Every creation here is both a tribute to our heritage and a promise for the future,’ Legarda explained. Legarda expressed gratitude to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), led by Secretary Cristina Roque, and to partner agencies, such as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Design Center of the Philippines, for helping to turn cultural expression into a sustainable livelihood.

‘Our challenge now is to make culture a shared mission. We must include the arts and crafts in education, tourism, and community planning. We must make our artisans visible not just in fairs like this, but in our daily lives,’ Legarda urged.

‘To our artisans here today, thank you for your hard work and heart. You are our storytellers and teachers. You show us that creativity is not just about beauty. It is also about resilience, hope, and love of country. The NACF is not only a showcase of handmade products. It is a celebration of our nation’s soul,’ the senator concluded.

The fair runs from October 23 to 29, 2025 at Megatrade Halls 1-3 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

NDLEA intercepts 70 parcels of cocaine concealed in body cream containers at Lagos airport

A total of 70 parcels of cocaine, factory-packed in the walls of cocoa butter formula body cream containers and heading to London, United Kingdom, have been uncovered at the export shed of the Lagos International Airport by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with three suspects arrested in a series of follow-up operations across Lagos.

The Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday that the cocaine consignments, weighing 3.60 kilograms, were discovered on 14th October 2025 during the examination of cargoes packaged as personal effects going to London, UK, on an Air Peace flight.

A cargo agent, Lawal Mustapha Olakunle, who presented the consignment for airfreight, was promptly arrested, while investigations stretching into two weeks led to the arrest of two principal suspects linked to the attempt to export the concealed Class A drug to the UK.

In a follow-up operation on 18th October, Babafemi said a female healthcare worker, Ogunmuyide Taiwo Deborah, was arrested, following which Mutiu Adebayo Adebiyi, the Chief Executive Officer of a travel agency, Mutiu Adebiyi and Co, was arrested at his office at 23 Ladoke Akintola Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, on Monday, 20th October.

In a similar development, an attempt by a 35-year-old Lesotho national, Lemena Mark, to export 103.59 grams of methamphetamine concealed in a Diabeta herbs coffee tea pack to the Philippines on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, on Wednesday 22nd October, was thwarted by NDLEA officers, who arrested him and recovered the illicit drug.

No fewer than 21,950 capsules of tramadol 250mg, concealed inside a 100-litre water heater, were recovered from a suspect, Umar Abubakar, who was arrested by NDLEA operatives at Bode Saadu, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, following credible intelligence on 21st October.

In Lagos, the statement said NDLEA operatives, in the early hours of 26th October, raided Proxy Night Club at 7 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, where a drug party was going on. Over 100 suspects, including the owner of the club, Mike Eze Nwalie Nwogu, alias Pretty Mike, were arrested and taken into custody for screening. Cartons of illicit substances, including Loud and laughing gas, were recovered from suspects at the party and the club’s store.

The raid followed intelligence about the drug party. NDLEA operatives, who were embedded in the party between 11 p.m. on Saturday, 25th October, however, disrupted the gathering at 3 a.m. on Sunday, 26th October, based on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

In Taraba, the duo of Auwal Musa and Salihu Bala were, on 21st October, arrested with 450,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 at Dan-Anacha checkpoint while conveying the consignment in a truck loaded with building materials from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mubi, Adamawa State.

While NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene/Lokoja highway, Kogi State, seized 162.200 kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from a truck on Friday, 24th October, operatives in Nasarawa State, on 22nd October, recovered 128 kg of the same psychoactive substance from a suspect, Abubakar Muhammad, in the Keffi area of the state.

A mother of two, Oyonumoh Glory Effiong, who is a major distributor of Canadian and California Loud, both strong strains of cannabis, in the Lekki, Ajah, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and VGC areas of Lagos, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Friday, 17th October, during a raid at her Lekki home, where 500 grams of the illicit substances were recovered.

In the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, NDLEA officers, on 23rd October, raided the home of a suspect, Ogunyabo Adenigbigbe, at Solomade Estate, where 275 litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with blackcurrant drink, cannabis and opioids, were recovered.

A 75-year-old grandfather, Echendu Onuoka, the statement said, was arrested on 22nd October at Ovum village, Obingwa LGA, Abia State, with 4.7 kg of skunk seized from him, while a 60-year-old grandmother, Aukana John, was nabbed with 225 grams of the same substance at Apanta village in the same LGA.

While 150 kg of skunk was recovered during a raid operation at Lot Camp, Ikun Akoko, Ondo State, two suspects, Bashir Mohammad and Samini Ahmed Tijjani, were nabbed with 234.5 kg of the same substance at Yan Aya, Saminaka, in Lere LGA, Kaduna, on 24th October, just as another set of suspects, Isah Usman and Salvation Okoler, were arrested with 8,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and rohypnol along the Abuja/Kaduna highway.

At the Seme border area of Lagos, NDLEA operatives, on 22nd October, nabbed Jacob Ojugbele with 55 kg of skunk at Ashipa area of Badagry, while Amusa Oluwabukola was arrested with 121.3 litres of skuchies at Itoga, Badagry.

In Zamfara State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Gummi-Anka Road on 20th October arrested a suspect, Abubakar Ibrahim, in possession of an AK-47 rifle and 1,746 assorted calibres of ammunition for AK-47 and GPMG rifles while moving them from Sokoto to Bagega Forest, Anka LGA, Zamfara. Both the suspect and the exhibits have since been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

While commending the officers and men of the various commands for the arrests and seizures, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) urged them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

Marcos order seeks halt to DPWH overspending

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Saturday that he had ordered Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to cut spending for construction materials by ‘as much as 50 percent’ to reflect their actual costs after learning that these were overpriced and would result in savings of at least P30 billion to P45 billion for the government.

‘This is money that we can use for services, such as health, education, and food that our people desperately need,’ he said.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had discovered that the prices of construction materials, such as asphalt, steel bars, and cement, were overpriced by up to 50 percent, Marcos said. ‘Actually, there are some egregious examples where it’s even more than that,’ he said in a speech before he flew to Malaysia on Saturday to attend the 47th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

‘In order to ensure that the costs of DPWH will reflect the costs of the market and to ensure that the people’s money is correctly spent, I have directed the DPWH Secretary to bring down the cost of materials by as much as 50 percent, which will result in savings in the capital outlay spending of at least P30 to P45 billion,’ Marcos said.

Dizon earlier said he planned to cut costs for construction materials to ensure value-for-money in public works spending in various regions across the country. Capital outlay (CO) makes up 23.1 percent, equivalent to P1.461 trillion, of the P6.352-trillion national budget for the current year.

Under the proposed P6.793-trillion budget for 2026, however, CO went down by 9.4 percent to P1.324 trillion.

The final CO in the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Act could further go down after the House of Representatives completely eliminated allocations for locally funded flood control projects under the DPWH’s budget and realigned them to other agencies, upon the President’s instructions.

The President had said that the supposed allocation for flood control projects under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) would be reallocated to education, health, and other departments. He said the P350 billion already earmarked for flood control projects in 2025 was sufficient and must first be fully utilized.

He said the P350 billion already earmarked for flood control projects in 2025 was sufficient and must first be fully utilized.

Under the 2026 NEP, the DPWH requested P250.8 billion for its flood management program, representing more than a quarter of its proposed P880-billion total budget.

This amount is slightly higher than the P248 billion allocated for similar projects under the 2025 national budget.

The cost reduction comes in the wake of the corruption scandal that cost the government multibillion-peso losses from irregular, incomplete, substandard and ‘ghost’ flood control projects that the President himself exposed in August.

In an interview with reporters after the President departed for Malaysia, Dizon called the President’s directive the ‘single biggest reform ever in the DPWH.’

‘The lowering of material costs is just one of the many reforms and changes we need to implement in the DPWH,’ Dizon said. ‘In my view, that is the most important one because if we can bring those costs down, we automatically bring down corruption as well.’

He said the review of the prices of construction materials started ‘several weeks ago,’ and the new benchmarking guidelines would be announced ‘in the next few days.’

Review, make changes

Dizon urged other agencies with infrastructure projects to also review and make necessary changes in their cost of materials.

He allayed fears that these cuts in spending for construction materials in public works would result in substandard projects.

According to Dizon, reducing the costs of materials should be done simultaneously with close monitoring of the implementation of infrastructure projects.

‘Substandard projects and ghost projects don’t just come from pricing issues-they stem from deceit committed by certain DPWH personnel in collusion with other parties. That is what we need to keep an eye on,’ he said.

The current guidelines on the establishment of construction material prices are outlined under Department Order No. 125, Series of 2025, issued on July 7 by former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

The Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD), as well as labor rates and equipment rental rates, are the bases of Detailed Unit Price Analysis, the Program of Works and Approved Budget for the Contract.

Bottom-to-top approach

Higher cost of construction materials will result in more expensive projects funded by taxpayer money.

The calculation of the CMPD follows a bottom-to-top approach. This starts with the initial survey of prices by the District Engineering Office (DEO), validation by the Regional Office, and approval by the DPWH Central Office, particularly by its Bureau of Construction.

DEOs calculate the ‘reasonable unit price’ by canvassing the prices per construction material from at least three qualified suppliers within their jurisdiction. These prices become part of the CMPD at the district level. As such, CMPD specific construction material may vary between DEOs, even within the same regional office. -WITH REPORTS FROM DIANNE SAMPANG, PNA AND INQUIRER RESEARCH