Manila, Oct. 25 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to cut the cost of construction materials for infrastructure projects by 50 percent to ensure the proper use of public funds.

Marcos made the announcement on Saturday in his departure speech at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City before flying to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits.

He said the DPWH had discovered that the prices of certain materials, including asphalt, steel bars, and cement, were overpriced by up to 50 percent.

"Actually, there are some egregious examples where it's even more than that," he said.

"In order to ensure that the costs of...