As of 2024, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Philippines has been allocated a total budget of:
₱825.9 billion (Eight Hundred Twenty-Five Billion Nine Hundred Million Pesos)
This makes DPWH the government agency with the largest budget in the 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) — surpassing even the Department of Education and the Department of National Defense.
📊 BREAKDOWN OF THE 2024 DPWH BUDGET
The budget is primarily allocated to:
1. Infrastructure Projects — ₱765.7 billion (92.7%)
- Roads and Bridges: Construction, maintenance, and upgrading of national roads, bridges, and flood control systems.
- Flood Control and Drainage: Part of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) under “Water Resources Development.”
- Schools, Hospitals, Evacuation Centers: Infrastructure for other agencies built by DPWH.
- “Build Better More” Flagship Programs: Continuation of infrastructure under the Marcos Jr. administration.
2. Maintenance and Operations (MOOE) — ₱54.7 billion (6.6%)
- Salaries, administrative costs, equipment, and day-to-day operations.
3. Capital Outlay / Financial Expense — ₱5.5 billion (0.7%)
🏗️ CONTEXT & COMPARISON
2023 DPWH Budget: ₱751.8 billion
→ 2024 Increase: +₱74.1 billion (+9.8% YoY)% of Total 2024 National Budget (₱5.768 Trillion): ~14.3%
This reflects the administration’s continued emphasis on infrastructure-led economic growth under the “Build Better More” program.
🔍 KEY PROJECTS FUNDED IN 2024
- Continued construction of Laguna Lakeshore Road Network
- Mindanao Railway Project (Phase 1)
- New Cebu International Airport
- Metro Manila Subway (support infrastructure)
- Flood Control Projects Nationwide — including those under scrutiny after the “ghost projects” controversy
⚠️ CONTROVERSIES & OVERSIGHT
Given the ₱700M+ “ghost projects” flagged by COA in 2023, Congress and COA are applying stricter scrutiny on DPWH’s 2024 budget, particularly for:
- Flood control and slope protection projects
- Contractor performance and documentation compliance
- Use of geotagged photos and third-party validation
The Senate and House have warned DPWH that disallowances and criminal referrals may follow if similar discrepancies occur in 2024-funded projects.
📌 SOURCES
- 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) — Republic Act No. 11936
➤ https://www.congress.gov.ph - Department of Budget and Management (DBM) — NEP 2024
➤ https://www.dbm.gov.ph - DPWH 2024 Budget Briefing Materials
➤ https://dpwh.gov.ph
✅ QUICK SUMMARY
💡 Takeaway: With nearly ₱1 trillion in combined 2023–2024 budgets, DPWH remains the engine of Philippine infrastructure — but also the focal point of accountability debates. How this massive budget is spent — especially on flood control — will be closely watched by COA, Congress, and the public in 2024.
