MANILA (October 28) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to cut the cost of construction materials by up to 50 percent, citing massive overpricing in infrastructure projects nationwide — including those in Mindanao’s key transport and flood control networks.
In a speech before leaving for Malaysia for the 47th ASEAN Summit, Marcos said materials such as asphalt, steel bars, and cement were found to be overpriced by as much as 50 percent — “and in some egregious cases, even more.”
“To ensure that the people’s money is correctly spent, I have directed the DPWH to bring down the cost of materials by as much as 50 percent,” he said, estimating ₱30 to ₱45 billion in potential savings that could fund basic services like health, education, and food security.
The President’s directive follows ongoing corruption probes into flood control and road projects, several of which are located in Mindanao’s highland and coastal provinces. These include substandard works along critical corridors such as the Bukidnon–Davao (BuDa) Road, where a recent landslide exposed long-standing infrastructure vulnerabilities.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said lowering material costs will not lead to substandard construction. “This reform could be the single biggest in DPWH history,” he said, adding that reducing prices will directly curb corruption.
Dizon also vowed accountability for erring officials, contractors, and politicians, citing Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s identification of Benguet Rep. Eric Yap as a “person of interest” in an anomalous flood control project.
For Mindanao, the move could mean more transparent, cost-efficient, and resilient infrastructure — and a long-overdue cleanup of one of the country’s most corruption-prone sectors.
