(Photo courtesy of PNA)
Malacañang on Tuesday assured the public that the proposed Php 7.2 trillion national budget for 2027 would undergo further review, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. taking into account concerns raised by civil society groups and budget watchdogs over alleged questionable allocations.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President would not approve budget amendments without sufficient documentation, clear project descriptions, and identifiable outcomes.
“Ang utos ng Pangulo, ang pondo ng bayan ay hindi dapat inaabuso. Ang pondo ng bayan ay dapat sa taumbayan, hindi sa bulsa ng ninuman,” Castro said during a Palace briefing.
(The President’s directive is that public funds must not be abused. Public funds should benefit the people, not end up in anyone’s pockets.)
The assurance came amid concerns over alleged budget insertions in the House of Representatives’ version of the 2027 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which lawmakers approved on third and final reading on October 12.
People’s Budget Coalition co-convenor Kenneth Isaiah Abante earlier questioned nearly 7,000 infrastructure projects worth Php 190 billion allegedly inserted by House lawmakers, citing insufficient supporting documents and unclear justifications.
The coalition also flagged additional funding for multipurpose buildings, access roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure projects.
Castro stressed that the proposed spending measure remains subject to legislative scrutiny, including Senate deliberations and the bicameral conference committee, before reaching the President for final review.
“Ang budget ay hindi pa po tapos. Bubusisiin iyan katulad ng pangako ng Senado. Dadaan pa po iyan sa bicam conference at dadaan pa po iyan sa pagsusuri ng economic team ng Pangulo bago ito pirmahan,” she said.
(The budget is not yet finalized. It will undergo scrutiny as promised by the Senate, followed by the bicameral conference and a review by the President’s economic team before he signs it.)
Castro also encouraged budget watchdogs and civil society organizations to submit detailed findings and supporting documents concerning questionable allocations to ensure that their concerns reach the President.
“Ang Pangulo ay nakikinig,” she said.
(The President is listening.)
The Palace maintained that the administration remains committed to safeguarding public funds and ensuring that government spending addresses the needs of Filipinos.
