JV Ejercito says open to lowering Senate’s budget for 2027
Senator JV Ejercito presides over the hearing of the Office of the Vice President’s proposed 2027 budget in Pasay City on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — Senate Finance Committee Chair JV Ejercito on Friday expressed his openness to lowering the Senate’s proposed budget for 2027, which currently stands at P7.7 billion.
Senate Accounts Committee Chair Panfilo Lacson had proposed the reduction earlier in the day, hoping the House of Representatives would follow suit.
“The ₱7.7 billion budget was approved at the committee level for plenary consideration. However, it is not yet final. The possible ₱2 billion reduction is still on the table and will be subject to further discussions during the plenary deliberations,” said Ejercito.
“We want to practice what we preach. If we are asking other government agencies to exercise fiscal discipline and justify every peso of their budget, then the Senate should lead by example,” he added.
Lacson noted that the House had added P5-billion to its proposed budget.
“Magbabawas kami ng (mga) P2 billion just to set the trend for the House to follow,” he said.
Senators have urged greater scrutiny of the 2027 budget in light of the Supreme Court ruling striking down portions of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets on Unprogrammed Funds.