House Speaker Bojie Dy delivered a strongly worded speech on March 18, 2026, urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to speed up its processes so government funds reach the public promptly. The remarks followed criticism from Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno two days earlier over the lack of materialized public works projects in the first quarter of 2026.
As the House of Representatives heads into a two-month break, Speaker Bojie Dy gave a speech on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, pressing the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to accelerate its processes. “To our friends at the DBM, please fix your work. Speed up your actions. Do your duty so that programs addressing the current needs of our people across different regions can be properly implemented. Let’s not waste time, and let’s not keep the public waiting,” Dy said. This marked an uncharacteristic strong tone for the conflict-averse Dy, who typically uses broad, nonconfrontational messaging. The speech came two days after Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, at a press conference, faulted Dy's leadership for no public works projects materializing in the first quarter of 2026, attributing delays to a new DBM system. Puno said Dy, presumed to have direct Palace access, left House members uninformed. He cited a Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism report showing Dy's district received the highest DPWH funding in the House-proposed 2026 budget. The DBM dismissed Puno and National Unity Party lawmakers' claims as “misinformed,” stating it does not arbitrarily delay projects. Infrastructure items modified by Congress during 2025 House budget deliberations require additional validation and clearance before fund release, per the President’s veto message. Rappler.com
