Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has urged the government to redirect the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) projected P60 billion in savings toward critical public needs, including education, health, and social aid.

The savings stem from DPWH’s initiative to align construction material costs with prevailing market rates, a move Cayetano praised for promoting more accountable spending. However, he emphasized that the real challenge lies in ensuring these funds are used to uplift sectors that have long suffered from budget constraints.

“If we go to the programs of all the departments, ang gaganda ng mga programa but that’s not our question. You might be hitting the target pero mali target mo,” Cayetano said, stressing the importance of directing resources to the right priorities.

He highlighted child stunting as a pressing issue, warning that failure to address it early could lead to long-term economic and social consequences. “Marami sa stunted na bata ang magiging future PWDs. The more that we take care of the stunting now, the less we have to spend on the interventions later on,” he explained.

Cayetano also pointed to the persistent shortage of classrooms in public schools, which has led to double and triple shifting. He cited Taguig City’s construction of seven-storey school buildings with elevators as a model for efficient and inclusive infrastructure development.

In addition, the senator reiterated his call for stronger financial aid programs to support families grappling with inflation and rising costs. “You cannot have good governance if you have a corrupt mentality,” he added, underscoring the need for integrity in public spending.

Cayetano’s proposal aims to ensure that government savings are not just preserved, but strategically invested in initiatives that deliver tangible benefits to Filipino communities.