The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has firmly denied allegations of deliberately withholding funds for local infrastructure projects, amidst threats from the National Union Party (NUP) to withdraw from the House majority bloc. Instead of attributing the delays to political maneuvering, the DBM pointed to amendments inserted by lawmakers themselves in the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) as the primary cause for the conditional release of these funds.
Root of the Controversy
The issue emerged when NUP Chairman and Antipolo City Representative Ronaldo Puno expressed his party's frustration with Speaker Faustino Bojie Dy III over the continued non-release of funds for projects in their districts. According to Puno, they were advised that a winning bidder must first be secured for the projects before the DBM could issue a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to the regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
DBM's Legal Justification
However, the DBM clarified that it is strictly adhering to legal protocols. The agency explained that Congress introduced Congress Introduced Changes and Adjustments (CICA) to the locally funded infrastructure (LFI) projects originally proposed by the Executive branch. Since these modifications altered the initial National Expenditure Program (NEP), the funds for these projects were placed under the For Issuance of SARO (FISARO) category.
Based on the President's Veto Message, such changes require additional validation and clearance from the Office of the President (OP) before any money can be released. The DBM also emphasized that claims about needing completed bidding processes prior to fund approval are inaccurate, reinforcing their commitment to following established budgetary procedures without political interference.
