The Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has not yet bid out any infrastructure project under the 2026 national budget as of March 2026. The agency may still be utilising unspent funds from 2025, when infrastructure spending slowed significantly due to controversies surrounding flood control projects. Many of those previously allocated funds are reportedly only being bid out now.
The delayed infrastructure spending could weaken economic growth, particularly as the Philippines faces external pressures such as rising oil prices linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. He noted that the country recorded economic growth of 4.4 per cent last year and expressed concern that the government may struggle to meet its 5 per cent growth target for 2026 if infrastructure disbursement remains slow.
