The Senate will prohibit last-minute amendments and secret insertions once deliberations move to the bicameral conference committee for the proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget for 2027, according to Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito.
Ejercito, who leads the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the policy statement after the upper chamber officially accepted the National Expenditure Program on Tuesday, August 11.
”We are making it clear now that last-minute insertions or amendments will no longer be permitted in the bicameral conference committee. All programs and funding requests must be discussed in plenary by both Houses,” Ejercito said in a statement.
He noted that procedural transparency measures will remain in effect throughout the budget hearings, including public access, stricter vetting metrics like agency utilization rates, and civil society participation.
“We will continue with the reforms such as the use of the Budget Transparency Portal where comments or positions papers on the budget can be submitted, the implementation of clear criteria for assessing budget amendment requests, like utilization rate; and livestreaming and opening bicameral discussions to the public,” Ejercito said.
“Along with these, we also acknowledge the issues that have occurred and will ensure that they do not recur,” Ejercito said.
“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,” he said.
Key Allocations and Sector Spending
The Finance Committee chairman commended the heavy prioritizing of social services, which secured the largest slice of the proposed expenditure plan at ₱2.456 trillion. Key allocations highlighted in the spending plan include:
- Social Protection & Education: ₱99.1 billion for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), ₱74.5 billion for the National Health Insurance Program, and ₱61.1 billion for free tertiary education.
- Healthcare Initiatives: ₱24.2 billion for indigent patient medical assistance, ₱14.5 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program, and ₱3.8 billion for the Cancer Assistance Fund.
- Universal Health Care: ₱19 billion allocated toward the UHC Fund for Zero-Balance Billing in public and LGU hospitals.
“As a health advocate and the principal author and sponsor of Universal Health Care Law, we also welcome the ₱19-billion allocation for the UHC Fund for the Zero-Balance Billing Program in DOH (Department of Health) and local government unit (LGU) hospitals,” he said.
“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,” he said.
”Walang Pilipino ang dapat matakot na magkasakit dahil sa kawalan ng pambayad sa hospital bills,” added the senator.
Ejercito also backed the ₱1.833-trillion outlay set aside for economic services, emphasizing that investments in major transportation infrastructure—including the North-South Commuter Railway, Metro Manila Subway, MRT-3 rehabilitation, and the LRT-1 Cavite Extension—are necessary engines for expansion.
”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,” he said.
With formal hearings underway, Ejercito maintained that lawmakers will keep a tight rein on public funds.
“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,” he emphasized.