Lawmaker defends House-proposed 2027 national budget from alleged insertions

MANILA — House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno and House Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Albert Garcia defended the proposed 2027 national budget approved by the lower chamber amid allegations of insertions and farm-to-market road projects with coordinates in the sea.

Garcia said it may be caused by “typographical” error, but noted that the projects in the House amendments were validated by the agencies.

He urged the People’s Budget Coalition to list the proposed farm-to-market road projects with coordinates in the sea, so that corrections may be made before the enactment of the proposed 2027 national budget.

“If the People’s Budget Coaltion can be more specific para ma-validate natin…. Maaaring nagka-typographical error, because of the voluminous documents. Pero ang pinakamaganda, ma-validate natin. So kung mabibigay nila ‘yung listahan ng specific projects, we can validate and rectify accordingly, kung mayroon ngang mga naging mali,” Garcia said.

“‘Yung farm-to-market roads, vina-validate ito ng provincial agriculturist, municipal agriculturist at ng regional office ng Department of Agriculture. So maaaring nagkamali sa coordinates, baka kaya napunta sa tubig,” he added.

“These are validated projects from the agency. Kasi hindi naman pwedeng maglagay sa GAB ng project na hindi validated, whether DA, DAR, DPWH, and so on and so forth,” Garcia stressed.

Puno, for his part, said House amendments to the budget went through the proper process, adding that it is within the powers of the lower chamber.

“If you’re talking about the insertion that runs through the hearings, it goes through the agency (House committee) hearings, it goes through the plenary hearings, paano naging insertion ‘yun? These are amendments. These are not insertions,” he said.

“Ang naging problema kasi dyan, when the House got the NEP, ‘yung public works sections were lump sum. So the Appropriations Committee, and Congress, really had to produce the listing, ‘yung details… Hindi insertion ‘yan eh… Those are in compliance with the Supreme Court decision, which wants us to avoid lumpsums,” Puno explained.

Meantime, he does not see the need for the House to recall the proposed 2027 budget it submitted to the Senate to make corrections or comply with the latest Supreme Court ruling.

Puno and Garcia believe the necessary adjustments can be done in the Senate and the bicameral conference committee meetings.

“Wala sa House ‘yan… The Supreme Court ruling was mostly in terms of procedures…We are confident that when it comes to the bicam, or even in the Senate, that these factors will be addressed. (55:18) Personally, I am not worried about the Supreme Court decision, because I don’t see any earthshaking things there. It’s not going to reverse anything. Most of the things they said there only require compliance… I don’t think it’s that big a problem. Whatever they brought up can be addressed, first in the Senate, and then of course in the bicam later on. Isasauli ba (sa House of Representatives)? I doubt,” Puno said.

“Kung mare-rectify naman, depending on the clarity given by the Supreme Court, kung mare-rectify naman natin sa bicam, kung minor lang ‘yung adjustment na kailangan, in my personal opinion, sana doon nalang natin i-rectify. But of course, up to the wisdom of the leadership of the House,” Garcia said.