Thursday, October 29, 2026  ·  Manila
 Breaking News, Special Reports and In-Depth Stories in the Philippines
TSR
Nation

Marcos admin pumps funds into infrastructure to prop up economy amid Middle East crisis

Marcos admin pumps funds into infrastructure to prop up economy amid Middle East crisis
Share

The situation, in brief

The Marcos administration is pumping funds into major infrastructure projects across key government agencies to prop up the economy and sustain employment amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, ordering a catch-up plan to ensure all programs are delivered on time this year. Executive Secretary Ralph…

The Marcos administration is pumping funds into major infrastructure projects across key government agencies to prop up the economy and sustain employment amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, ordering a catch-up plan to ensure all programs are delivered on time this year.

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto convened officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Education to align on implementation timelines and deliverables.

“Nakita naman po natin ngayon na may catch-up plan din pagdating sa mga projects na ‘yan. Malinaw po ‘yung usapan na maaabot po natin ‘yung target, dahil na-release na rin po ‘yung pondo para sa mga mahahalagang infrastructure projects through our Department of Budget and Management,” Executive Undersecretary Georgina Hernandez-Yang told DZRH News program Special on Saturday on May 16.

Yang said the meeting was called to ensure that public sector spending, particularly on infrastructure, remains on track as the government looks to pump-prime the economy and generate employment amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.

She said construction-related employment under DPWH, DOTr, and DA represents a significant portion of the country’s labor force, making timely project implementation critical to sustaining economic activity.

The DepEd classroom construction program was also specifically flagged as among the priority programs that must be delivered on time this year.

“Mayroon po tayong plano para siguraduhin na on track at on time ‘yung lahat ng mga programang ito na itinalagang magawa sa taong ito,” Yang said.

Yang acknowledged that rising fuel prices driven by the Middle East conflict may have a downstream impact on construction material costs, but said this will be addressed through the proper procurement process once it arises.

“‘Yung mga bagay na ‘yan, mapag-uusapan at dadaan lahat sa tamang proseso ‘pag natapos po ang procurement process,” she said.

Yang said the availability of funds has been secured and confirmed, and that all covered agencies are ready to proceed with implementation of their respective programs.

More on Nation

See all
Marcos’ net satisfaction ratings drops to ‘poor’ in latest SWS survey
Nation

Marcos’ net satisfaction ratings drops to ‘poor’ in latest SWS survey

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s net satisfaction rating fell to “poor” from “neutral” in the third-quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). Marcos’ net satisfaction rating dropped to -11 in September 2026 from -7 in June, according to the survey. The SWS said 35% of adult Filipinos…

Magellan may have reached the Philippines because of El Niño — without knowing it: study
Nation

Magellan may have reached the Philippines because of El Niño — without knowing it: study

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan may have reached the Philippines in 1521 because of El Niño, without him or his fellow voyagers knowing it. A 2021 study by Dr. Scott Fitzpatrick of North Carolina State University and Dr. Richard Callaghan of the University of Calgary examined Magellan’s…

More than one teaspoon of salt increases risk of heart diseases, stroke — WHO
Nation

More than one teaspoon of salt increases risk of heart diseases, stroke — WHO

Cardiovascular diseases remain the world’s leading cause of death—not only in the Philippines—the World Health Organization (WHO) said. According to the WHO, cardiovascular diseases claim an estimated 17.9 million lives each year, with excessive salt intake identified as one of the key…

‘Very strong’ El Niño may emerge by October, PAGASA warns: ‘This should be taken seriously’
Nation

‘Very strong’ El Niño may emerge by October, PAGASA warns: ‘This should be taken seriously’

Reduced rainfall may be experienced in the coming months as the El Niño phenomenon continues to rapidly strengthen and may persist until the first half of 2027, according to the PAGASA. Ana Solis, chief of PAGASA’s Climate Impact Assessment and Prediction Section, said warming ocean temperatures…

Free newsletter

The Morning SitRep

The day’s most important stories in the Philippines and the world, in one five-minute read. Delivered at 6 AM, Monday to Saturday.

Breaking alerts Special reports first No spam
Check your inbox — we’ve sent a link to confirm your subscription.Something went wrong. Please try again in a moment. By subscribing you agree to TSR’s privacy policy.