Philippines' 2027 Budget Hit Over Social Services Cuts, Funds For Political Dynasties

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The P7.2-trillion (Dh423.5 billion) Philippine national budget for 2027 is not pro-people.“It only funds corrupt officials and political dynasties.”

The statement came as political and activist groups raised alarm over the House of Representatives' (HOR) approval of next year's national budget earlier this week, accusing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr of failing to fulfil his promise of cleaner and more accountable public spending.

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Kabataan Youth representative Renee Louise Co said the HOR retained P361.19 billion (Dh21.2 billion) for the Marcos government's controversial infrastructure projects, such as flood control and farm-to-market roads.

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Co also flagged the P51.88 billion (Dh3 billion) that would be given to Marcos as“discretionary funds”.

“Year in, year out, the national budget is overflowing with (discretionary) funds,” Co underscored in her rejection of the proposed budget.

Marcos' allies control the HOR. Only 13 representatives voted against the proposed budget, while one abstained. Opponents said Marcos' budget was meant to perpetuate both patronage politics and corruption in the government.

ACT Teachers representative Antonio Tinio noted that education funding would be substantially cut, affecting the construction and renovation of classrooms as well as the country's school computerisation programme.

Tinio added that funding for health facilities and equipment, commodities for family health, immunisation, nutrition and responsible parenting, health promotion, and the quick response fund would be reduced by billions of pesos.

“The government's calamity fund, including for El Niño, was also reduced by P9.5 billion (Dh558 million),” Tinio continued.

Meanwhile, House appropriations committee chairperson Mikaela Angela Suansing was in tears when the HOR approved the budget. She said:“The House's budget amendments were guided by the shared judgment of the House to protect key spending priorities, particularly education and healthcare, while responding to the most pressing needs of the Filipino people.”

The proposed 2027 budget, however, still needs to pass through the Philippine Senate before it can be signed into law.

Tinio said he hoped that, instead of introducing its own pork barrel-type amendments, the Senate would make the necessary corrections by reducing allocations for congressmen's pet projects and increasing the budget for social services.

Senate finance committee chairperson Jose Victor Ejercito flagged the realignment of P206 billion (Dh12.11 billion) for representatives' pet projects. Ejercito noted that roughly 206 allocations had been altered by the HOR.

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