DOTr: Most 2027 projects unfunded despite bigger budget

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) disclosed that most of its proposed projects for 2027 were not funded under the National Expenditure Program (NEP), despite receiving a larger budget allocation. Only 30 of its 179 proposed projects were granted funding. The DOTr was given a P300.960 billion budget under the NEP, a 52.52 percent increase from the 2026 allocation of P197.331 billion. The agency originally proposed P624.482 billion for its projects, but the NEP only allocated P237.349 billion, with the railway sector receiving the largest cut. Funded projects include the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension, Metro Manila Subway Project Phase I, MRT Line 3 rehabilitation, and North-South Commuter Railway. However, Mindanao Railway, MRT Line 4, and PNR South Long Haul received no allocation, prompting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez to urge lawmakers to prioritize locally-funded projects equally.