Marcos Outlines Spending Plan for Diverted Flood Control Funds
- September 24, 2025
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that no additional allocation will be made for flood control in the 2026 national budget, stressing that the ₱350 billion already set aside for 2025 must be fully spent first. He explained that the decision is tied to his creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is tasked to probe irregularities in flood control projects carried out over the past decade.
At a press briefing, Marcos announced that he has drawn up a complete spending plan for the realigned 2026 funds, which were originally meant for flood management. He said the reallocated budget will instead be directed toward education, health, and other priority sectors.
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New spending “menu”
Marcos said the outlined “menu” would guide lawmakers in reallocating the funds to ensure proper use in next year’s national budget.
“Now, since we have cancelled all flood control projects for 2026, those savings, we already put a menu para nga unang-una, kahit na for the budget na sinusulat ngayon, kailangan na maliwanag na maliwanag na mapupunta sa tamang lugar (so that first of all, even for the budget now being drafted, it must be very clear that the funds will go to the right areas),” explained the President.
Marcos also mentioned that budget changes can only be made in favor of priority agencies such as education, health, energy, infrastructure, housing, agriculture, labor, ICT, and social services.
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List of allocations
The realigned budget will prioritize projects across several agencies, starting with State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), which will receive funding for laboratories, dormitories, and academic buildings. The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to benefit through school building programs, textbooks, laptops, and support for last-mile schools.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will channel funds into farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, cold storage expansion, fish ports, and rice subsidies, while the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will focus on irrigation dams. The Department of Health (DOH) is slated to improve health facilities, provide medicines, and extend medical assistance to indigent patients.
Housing initiatives will be supported under the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) through the Pambansang Pabahay program. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) will see allocations for evacuation centers, while the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will advance its free Wi-Fi program.
Labor and social welfare are also included, with funds for the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) TUPAD emergency employment program and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) assistance to individuals in crisis. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will direct their share toward electrification projects.
The Chief Executive said the move marks an initial step toward greater openness and responsibility in government spending after recent disclosures of anomalies in infrastructure projects.
Sources:
https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/15/marcos-comes-up-with-menu-for-flood-control-funds-realignment
