Bojie Dy calls out DBM as colleagues blame him for unreleased DPWH funds

2026-03-18 - 13:11

MANILA, Philippines – As the House enters a two-month break, Speaker Bojie Dy delivered a speech on Wednesday, March 18, urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to expedite its processes so government resources can reach the public on time. It is uncharacteristically a strongly worded speech for the conflict-averse Dy, who often issues statements with broad, nonconfrontational messaging. “To our friends at the DBM, please fix your work. Speed up your actions. Do your duty so that programs addressing the current needs of our people across different regions can be properly implemented. Let’s not waste time, and let’s not keep the public waiting,” he said. The statement comes two days after Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, in a press conference, criticized Dy’s leadership, as the former lamented that no public works projects materialized in the first quarter of 2026 due to a supposed new system of the DBM. Puno said Dy, who is presumed to have direct lines to the Palace, had left House members in the dark. He said “there should be leadership by example” in the House, as he referred to a Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism report that revealed Dy’s district received the highest funding in the House-proposed 2026 budget for DPWH. The DBM previously called Puno and other National Unity Party lawmakers’ allegations “misinformed,” insisting that the agency does not arbitrarily delay projects. The DBM said that infrastructure projects not automatically given funding at the start of the year were those that Congress modified during House budget deliberations in 2025, requiring “additional validation and clearance prior to release of funds” in accordance with the President’s veto message. – Rappler.com