STATEMENT ON THE OFFICIAL SUBMISSION OF THE 2027 NATIONAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAM
August 11, 2026
Today, we have officially received the National Expenditure Program for 2027, which stands at P7.2 trillion. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, we will now begin the important work of reviewing and scrutinizing the proposed national budget—keeping in mind that the power of the purse is ultimately a public trust.
Itutuloy natin ang mga reporma gaya ng mga sumusunod: (1) ang paggamit ng Budget Transparency Portal kung saan pwedeng magpadala ng comment o position papers tungkol sa budget; (2) pagpapatupad ng malinaw na pamantayan sa pag-assess ng budget amendment requests e.g. utilization rate etc.; (3) pagla-livestream at pagbubukas ng bicameral discussions sa publiko at; (4) pagsasagawa ng public hearing kasama ang mga kinatawan ng Civil Society Organizations. Kasabay ng mga ito, kinikilala rin natin ang mga naging isyu at titiyakin nating hindi na ito mauulit.
Ngayon pa lang, nililinaw natin na hindi na pahihintulutan ang last-minute insertions o amendments sa bicameral conference committee. Lahat ng programa at hinihinging pondo ay dapat talakayin sa plenaryo ng magkabilang kapulungan.
With regard to budget by sector, at first glance, it is encouraging to see that Social Services remains to have the largest budget allocation, with P2.456 trillion. This includes funding for programs that directly affect the lives of our people, particularly health, education, and social protection.
We welcome the allocations for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps at P99.1 billion, the National Health Insurance Program at P74.5 billion, and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Program at P61.1 billion.
As a health advocate and the principal author and sponsor of Universal Health Care Law, we also welcome the P19 billion allocation for the UHC Fund for the Zero-Balance Billing Program in DOH and LGU hospitals.
As it stands, there is also a proposed P24.2 billion for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients Program, P3.8 billion for the Cancer Assistance Fund, and P14.5 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program to improve our public hospitals and health facilities.
These investments are crucial because our goal should be clear: when a Filipino gets sick, access to quality healthcare should not depend on how much money they have in their pocket. Walang Pilipino ang dapat matakot na magkasakit dahil sa kawalan ng pambayad sa hospital bills.
We also welcome the strong allocation for Economic Services at P1.833 trillion, particularly for infrastructure development. The proposed budget included major investments in transportation and connectivity, including the North-South Commuter Railway, Metro Manila Subway, MRT-3 rehabilitation, and LRT-1 Cavite Extension.
As I have always said, infrastructure is important to our long-term economic growth. If we have better roads, bridges, railways, and transport systems, this also means better connectivity, more opportunities, more jobs and a more productive economy.
The real work begins now. As we go through the 2027 budget, we will carefully examine every allocation and make sure that our limited resources are directed toward programs that truly benefit the Filipino people and support economic growth.
