MANILA — Senator Bam Aquino said the Senate will not approve an overpriced national budget, amid a deadlock over the proposed 2026 spending plan following the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) request to restore P45 billion earlier trimmed by the Senate.

Aquino said the DPWH should recompute its proposed budget using its new Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD) if it has issues with the Senate’s calculations.

“Kung may issues kayo doon sa computation namin, mag-compute rin kayo. Gawin niyo ang trabaho ninyo, i-compute niyo ang tama at balikan niyo kami with the right budget,” Aquino said in a television interview.

“We want the DPWH to come back to the table and give the proper computation. Sabi niya may 10,000 projects iyan. Bilangin nila, sabihin nila sa amin magkano ba talaga ang gastos using the new CMPD,” he added.

Aquino said this would allow the Senate to approve a properly computed budget and prevent a repeat of issues involving flood control projects.

“That’s why we’re in the middle of this flood control scandal dahil may mga proyektong na-overprice, may mga proyekto na naging ghost project, and we just want to be sure that we sign off on budgets that are properly computed,” he said.

He said the development of a new CMPD was agreed upon after a series of Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings and DPWH budget deliberations.

“The Senate computed that with the DPWH. Na-compute iyon. Nabawasan iyong budget. Everybody lauded that move na sa 2026 budget, nasa tamang presyo dapat ang mga proyekto natin,” Aquino said.

To resolve the impasse, Aquino said the DPWH should present its actual cost calculations to the bicameral conference committee for review.

Aquino also downplayed concerns from some lawmakers that certain projects may not proceed due to funding cuts, saying there is sufficient leeway because of overpricing.

“May espasyo naman iyan kasi overpriced iyan. Kahit 10 percent ang tanggalin mo, kaya pa rin iyan,” he said, disputing the DPWH’s claim that some projects may be undervalued.

“Spend a few days, i-compute ninyo. Balikan niyo kami, pakitaan niyo kami ng totoong computation. From there, we will decide whether we will sign off or not,” Aquino said.