Cabinet reshuffle unlikely to delay passage of budget bill — Ejercito

MANILA — A reshuffle in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet is not likely to slow down passage of the proposed 2027 national budget, Sen. JV Ejercito, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said.

The Palace on Monday announced Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon will move to the Department of Transportation while DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez will head the DPWH “to accelerate reform and deliver changes Filipinos can see in their lives.”

Ejercito said he is “quite familiar” with the two officials and that Dizon had previously served as transportation secretary.

He said discussions with Dizon on developing the country’s railway system and improving its airports carried over to Lopez’s tenure at the transportation department.

He said leadership changes would “normally” be a problem in the middle of budget season but added “I don’t think it will be a difficult transition” in this case.

“I’m hoping that he will continue the reforms that were started after the flood control issue,” Ejercito said of Lopez. 

He added he hopes the DPWH will monitor the implementation of projects that would have a high impact on the economy and improve services.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson agreed that Dizon is already familiar with work at the transportation department and Lopez “is qualified to handle DPWH.”

He added he does not think Dizon’s departure from the DPWH will affect inspections of allegedly irregular reclamation projects in Taguig  — home turf of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who he has been at odds with.

“Nasa Ombudsman na yun eh… Halos kumpleto na yung ebidensya roon,” Lacson said.

(That is already with the Ombudsman… Nearly all the evidence has been gathered.)

Ejercito said he is bracing for contentious and lengthy deliberations on the budget bill on the Senate floor and at the Bicameral Conference Committee in late November because of many disagreements with the House version of the proposed budget.

He has said that senators want to restore cuts that the House made. 

Ejercito himself wants more funding for legacy projects, major infrastructure, and to improve healthcare access through better facilities and coverage.

“Kailangan nating i-restore yung budget doon because those, those are two main ano, doon sa alam niyo naman, yun ang advocacy natin, “Ejercito told reporters.

(The budget to those have to be restored because, as you know, they are part of my advocacy.)

He said he hopes the chambers will reach an agreement on the 2027 national budget quickly but acknowledged senators and House members may have different budget priorities.

“Dahil ako nag-congressman din. Siyempre kung may makakatulong sa distrito, bakit hindi ‘no?” he said.

(I was also a congressman. Of course, if it can help my district, why not?)

He said, however, that funding for major products should not be affected. 

“These are the main infrastructure projects na kailangan natin para makahabol ang ekonomiya natin kasi ito yung ano talaga eh, pangmatagalan, ah, jobs and opportunities in the long run na kailangan natin.”

(These are the main infrastructure projects that we need for our economy to catch up…. we need jobs and opportunities in the long run.) — RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News