Manila, Dec. 18 -- The bicameral conference committee realized PHP20.7 billion in savings from the PHP529.6-billion 2026 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) after applying updated construction cost adjustments across thousands of infrastructure projects, Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian said early Thursday.

Most of the savings were realigned to address a shortfall in the national government's contributions to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), noting that the required remittance for 2026 amounts to PHP69.7 billion while only PHP53.2 billion was provided, leaving a gap of about PHP16.5 billion.

"So ngayon, 'yung natipid ho nating PHP20.7 billion, PHP16.2 billion do...