THE House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, on Wednesday terminated the briefing on the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) P180.894- billion proposed budget for 2025.
Committee senior vice chair and Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo emphasized the importance of the budget briefing in ensuring that DOTr effectively utilizes its proposed budget for 2025 as she stressed the critical role of the DOTr in addressing the country’s transportation challenges.
“Ang Department of Transportation ay may mahalagang tungkulin na tiyakin na ang ating mga sistema ng transportasyon ay epektibo, ligtas, at abot-kaya. Ang mga ito ay hindi lamang istruktura. Ito ay mga mahalagang koneksiyon na nag-uugnay sa mga komunidad, nagpapasigla sa ekonomiya, at nagpapadali ng buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” Quimbo said.
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said that the proposed budget aims to fund several key infrastructure projects, including the Metro Manila Subway Phase 1, the North-South Commuter Railway and the ongoing rehabilitation of the MRT-3.
He cited the completion of 38 social and tourism projects, the ongoing privatization process for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and the construction of the New Cebu International Airport, as some of the key accomplishments of the agency.
However, several committee members noted project delays and funding shortfalls that have plagued these initiatives.
During interpellation, they observed that the DOTr’s obligation rate was 64.89%, with a disbursement rate of 37.78%. They also inquired about the DOTr’s plans to improve financial efficiency in the upcoming fiscal year.
In response, the department outlined several measures to streamline operations, including enhanced coordination with other government agencies, improved project management systems and more strategic fund allocation.
The DOTr officials acknowledged these setbacks, attributing them to land acquisition and technical challenges, and reported that they are working closely with local governments to resolve right-of-way issues and is exploring additional funding sources to expedite project completion.
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