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MPs feel left out under the leadership of the Dy in the Parliament amid the budget problems affecting the parliamentary districts, says Puno.
MANILA, Philippines – Chairman and acting president of the National Unity Party (NUP) Ronaldo Puno expressed his dissatisfaction on Monday, March 16, regarding the leadership of Speaker Bojie Dy, and revealed that the NUP is considering the possibility of running for a minority in Parliament.
Puno was angered by the budget problems facing congressional districts, and the way the leadership of the House represents the lower house in negotiations with the executive branch.
Puno claimed that no public works projects were implemented in the first quarter of 2026 since most of the funding was marked as FLR or “to be released later.” He claimed that under the new system, the district engineering offices manage the tender, where the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will decide to authorize the Department of Works and Roads (DPWH) to issue a Special Release Order for the project.
“Public works budgets everywhere are, in fact, zero, which is why no project is being tendered,” Puno said. “This is a headache policy.”
“This is very doubtful. I don’t know where these people studied management because it is impossible. There are 15,000 to 20,000 public works projects per year. So you mean DBM will go through 15,000 projects before giving a fund for one project?” he added.
Puno then said Dy, who is the one who speaks directly to the White House, has left the Council members in the dark.
He also complained about the lack of social improvement funds for their districts, and lamented how MPs like him and other NUP members cut their district budgets by at least half, while “those who negotiate” on behalf of the Parliament got billions in funding.
“We were asked to volunteer, but their districts were the beneficiaries,” Puno said. “There should be leadership by example.”
A report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism in December said the districts of Speaker Dy, housing allocation chairman Mika Suansing, and Sultan Kudarat’s sister Rep. Bella Suansing, received the highest sums in the DPWH’s 2026 budget proposed by Congress.
“You are the spokesperson for more than 300 lawmakers. You should put others first so that you are not accused of taking your place as a mediator on behalf of Congress,” Puno said.
Rappler has reached out to the Dy’s office, but has yet to receive a response.
Dy, a member of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, rose to the top post in the House of Representatives in September, after President Martin Romualdez’s cousin resigned amid a public works corruption scandal.
Puno said he and his party allies will discuss during the break whether they will get away with the majority.
“We will quit our job. Really? I will no longer be deputy speaker. (Our other members) will no longer chair their committees. We will discuss,” Puno added.
“I speak on behalf of our members who feel left out, and all other MPs who feel left out.” – Rappler.com
