How will Marcos fund the P7.2 trillion national budget when 2027 revenue collection is projected to be only at P5.206 trillion?

CAGAYAN DE ORO — The state’s budget department described the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 national budget as “people-centered.” But for progressive legislators, it deprioritizes the Filipino people.

On August 11, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) submitted the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to Congress. Lawmakers belonging to the Makabayan bloc criticized the state’s massive allocations on infrastructure projects despite the flood control scam while reducing the allocation in social services.

DBM allocated P739.02 billion—the largest allocation under economic services—to fund various infrastructure programs of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for 2027. This is 46.37 percent higher than the 2026 budget allocation.

Meanwhile, a total of P187.95 billion was allocated next year for water resources development and flood control, which is 19.01 percent higher than this year’s budget. A huge portion of the amount (P103.45 billion) will fund the Flood Management Program of DPWH, the government agency criticized over the anomalous flood control mess.

“History and recent experience have repeatedly shown that infrastructure funds are the lifeblood of bureaucratic corruption and political patronage,” party-list representatives Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers, Sarah Jane Elago of Gabriela, and Renee Co of Kabataan said in a joint statement.

Read: ‘Selective prosecution’ in Marcos Jr. anti-corruption probe?

Tinio demanded the total removal of allocations in flood control projects. This should be used, he said, to build more classrooms instead. “How can the Marcos Jr. administration fulfill its promise of 40,000 classrooms before his term ends if the target for next year is only 700?”

The Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposed budget shows that only 700 new classrooms were targeted for 2027, which is much lower compared to its target of 4,869 new classrooms this year. The classroom shortage reportedly stood at more than 160,000 units.

The proposed 2027 NEP is 5.99 percent higher compared to this year’s national budget of P6.7 trillion. Social services remain the highest allocation (P2.456 trillion), but this is lower by P143.72 billion compared to this year.

Under social services, the housing and community development sector suffered the largest cut. From its P7.86 billion allocation this year, it was reduced to P6.82 billion next year, or a 37% decrease. This was followed by the health sector, which suffered a 20.87% decrease.

All sectors under social services have decreased their allocations, except the subsidy to local government units (LGUs).

Renato Reyes Jr., president of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), criticized the allocation of P1.143 trillion, or 15.87 percent of the proposed 2027 national budget, for debt payments, as this was higher compared to DepEd’s allocation.

“How will Marcos fund the P7.2 trillion national budget when 2027 revenue collection is projected to be only at P5.206 trillion?” Reyes asked in a Facebook post.

DepEd remains the highest allocation (P976.0 billion) among all departments but this is still lower compared to its P1.015 trillion budget this year. It was followed by DPWH and the Department of Health (DOH), which includes PhilHealth and specialty hospitals.

Both Reyes and the Makabayan bloc criticized the more than P4.5 billion confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) of the Office of the President.

“Why are we against the existence of confidential and intelligence funds? Because no matter how ‘stringent’ the existing guidelines, the proponents of the CIF are able to circumvent the guidelines and abuse the funds,” Reyes said. “Any funding that is lump-sum and discretionary is simply pork barrel and gives rise to corruption.”

The House of Representatives has just started to discuss the 2027 national budget. The Makabayan bloc lawmakers vowed to oppose what they called an “anti-people budget.” (DAA)