Date: November 27, 2025
Location: Manila, Philippines
Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste has called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to release its internal database containing the “proponents” behind billions of pesos worth of insertions in the 2025 and 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
In a statement on Thursday, Leviste revealed that the DPWH maintains a database identifying individuals and offices responsible for proposing various infrastructure projects tied to major budget insertions. He challenged the agency to make the information public if it is serious about transparency and reform.
According to Leviste, the 2025 national budget contains ₱721.83 billion in insertions, while the proposed 2026 NEP carries ₱496.97 billion more. He said he could no longer remain silent while the agency repeatedly claims to uphold transparency yet refuses to disclose vital information.
Leviste urged the DPWH to acknowledge what he described as hidden insertions in the proposed 2026 budget during its next press briefing. He noted that the department may be hesitant to release the full database because it would reveal project proposals allegedly made not only by lawmakers but also by current Cabinet secretaries, undersecretaries, and other officials.
The lawmaker clarified that the NEP for DPWH is likely filled with insertions, which he believes can be verified through the agency’s internal files. He added that many projects listed as recommendations from planning engineers were actually endorsed by politicians or contractors—similar to bicameral insertions but concealed from public scrutiny.
Leviste first raised his concerns after visiting the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on November 18, where he presented files obtained from the office of former DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral. These documents reportedly contained detailed lists of proponents for the 2026 budget. However, ICI informed him that such files were never submitted by DPWH and that Cabral’s office had been cordoned off when they first visited in September 2025.
In addition, Leviste is requesting the DPWH’s list of Non-Allocable or so-called “Leadership Fund” projects under the 2026 budget. The agency has not yet released these details.
He emphasized that the DPWH’s Allocable budget amounts to ₱401.35 billion, which is divided among 254 congressional districts and may be amended by district representatives. The remaining funds—categorized as Non-Allocable—include the Leadership Fund and other budget items allegedly used for fund parking. These totaled around ₱320 billion in the 2025 NEP and ₱95 billion in the 2026 proposal.
“Full disclosure by the DPWH on where these funds were allocated will help confirm whether the agency has truly stopped selling budgets to contractors,” Leviste said.