House amends its proposed 2027 national budget

MANILA — The House of Representatives has amended on Wednesday its proposed P7.2 trillion national budget for 2027, which includes P116.32 billion in amendments proposed by the Budget Amendments Review SubCommittee (BARSc).

ACT Teachers Party List Representative Antonio Tinio raised an objection to amending the 2027 House General Appropriations Bill by substituting it with a bill that contained the BARSc’s proposed amendments. He pointed out that the BARSc tackled in a livestreamed meeting last Thursday its proposed increases in the budget for certain social services, infrastructure, and other government programs, but did not mention where these funds will be sourced from.

“Hindi transparent na ibinigay ‘yung report ng BARSc na nagde-detalye kung ano ba talaga ‘yung mga amendments na ginawa… Hindi sapat na sabihin na nasa livestream na ‘yun… Nanatiling pangunahin sa P116 billion, almost P100 billion ay matatawag na pork-type amendments both para sa ayuda at para sa infrastructure, kaya tinututulan natin ito Madam Speaker,” Tinio said.

He also sought the details of the infrastructure projects in the proposed budget amendment.

“May mga in-amend din po for example sa DPWH budget, dinagdagan ng P11.49 billion so nadagdagan ‘yung total, pero actually, internally, ay P98.8 billion ang total na binago, including 6,262 individual projects na wala sa NEP, pero nandito na sa amended House version na ipinapapasa sa atin. Unfortunately, dahil nga hindi naipresent at nabigyan tayo ng report, hindi alam ng publiko at ng nakararaming myembro ang amendments na ito,” Tinio stressed.

His objection, however, lost when put to a vote.

“The ayes have it. House Bill 10858 is amended by substitution of the entire bill,” House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin announced.

Before the proposed amendments were raised, Tinio raised a point of order, which was not well taken by the House majority.

“We are already in the period of amendments, and yet, as far as I know, there is no compliance with the requirements of the rule that the BARSc must produce a detailed report of proposed amendments, it being a subcommittee on budget amendments, and that such detailed report be furnished to all members, and that it be published on the website of the House,” Tinio said.

“Kahit doon sa livestream mismo ng BARSc, sinabi mismo ng Chair, our esteemed Chair of the Committee on Appropriations, na hindi na raw po maglalabas ng separate report ang BARSc, at ‘yung amended text nalang ng GAB ang ipe-present dito,” he added.

“There is a rule that ought to be followed in the transparency, not only to the fellow members of the House, but to the people on the movements in the House of Representatives for the budget. Sana nga po, sa pinaka-kagyat ay maipakita hindi lang ‘yung pagdagdag pero kung saan nabawasan…  The people deserve the information, not only as a right, but also as a responsibility,” Kabataan Party List Rep. Renee Co added. 

In response, House Deputy Majority Leader Manuel “Wowo” Fortes Jr. pointed out that the BARSc proceedings were livestreamed in the official online platform of the House, while the amendments that were approved where incorporated to the substitute text of House Bill 10858.

“This substitute bill was furnished to all the members via their registered email addresses and was also posted in the House website. As such, the majority submits that the point of order is not well taken,” Fortes Jr. said.

The BARSC’s proposed amendments include funding for programs that received zero allocation under the 2027 National Expenditure Program like the Department of Education’s school safety and security program, the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning program, the Department of Transportation’s fuel subsidy program, the service contracting program and the NCR busway project, and the Department of Agriculture’s Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk.

The House subpanel also recommended increases to the proposed 2027 budget for infrastructure and social services like the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations, the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients, and the TUPAD program. It further proposed additional funding for the Local Government Support Fund (P4.09 billion), the House of Representatives (P5 billion), and the confidential funds of the NAPOLCOM (P10 million), DOJ OSEC (P30 million), the National Bureau of Investigation (P50 million), and the Office of the Ombudsman (P50 million).

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco proposed the inclusion of two provisions in the 2027 HGAB. One is on the mandatory publication of the House budget utilization and member-specific expenditures, Under the special provisions of the House of Representatives. And the other is the mandatory publication of DPWH projects by congressional legislative districts.

“These provisions seek to strengthen the credibility of the House as an institution by demonstrating that accountability applies equally to everyone entrusted with public funds. If we demand transparency from the executive, we must be prepared to demonstrate transparency ourselves,” Tiangco explained.

His proposals, however, were rejected.

House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Mikaela Suansing explained that the first provision proposed by Tiangco falls within the prerogative of the Commission on Audit. On his second proposal, Suansing said the infrastructure projects under the different engineering offices may be searched from the Department of Budget and Management’s website.