MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will begin deliberations on the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 on Monday, less than a week after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. submitted the spending plan to Congress.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. announced Saturday that the House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Nueva Ecija Rep. Michaela Suansing, will open the budget debates with a briefing from the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).
The DBCC will discuss the proposed budget’s financing sources, expenditure levels and allocations for government departments, agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations.
The committee includes representatives from the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Economy, Planning and Development, Department of Finance and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The appropriations panel will receive a briefing from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. on Tuesday.
Abante said the spending plan submitted by the executive branch represents the National Expenditure Program, or the President’s proposed budget, and does not yet constitute the country’s final national budget.
The House and Senate must approve their respective versions before reconciling differences through a bicameral conference committee. Both chambers will then ratify the reconciled measure before sending it to Marcos for signing into law as the General Appropriations Act.
Abante said the House leadership has committed to conducting the deliberations transparently so the public can track how government funds are allocated.
The proposed 2027 budget includes P976 billion for education, P644 billion for public works and highways, including more than P100 billion for flood control, and P353.8 billion for the health sector through the Department of Health and PhilHealth.
Other major allocations include P332.5 billion for the Department of the Interior and Local Government, P328.8 billion for national defense, P302.2 billion for transportation, P261.7 billion for agriculture and P241.6 billion for social welfare and development.