MANILA, Philippines — Senate Senior Majority Leader JV Ejercito on Thursday, October 22, appealed to the House of Representatives to refrain from recalling the proposed 2027 national budget, warning that doing so could disrupt the legislative calendar and prevent Congress from passing the spending measure before the year ends.
Ejercito suggested that lawmakers instead resolve any issues surrounding the proposed ₱7.2-trillion budget during the upcoming bicameral conference committee (bicam) sessions.
“I’m appealing na sa bicam na lang natin ayusin ito,” Ejercito stated, voicing his apprehension that withdrawing the budget bill could derail the entire appropriations cycle.
“Ako, I am worried on that. Kasi pag nangyari ‘yon, more often than not, most likely, hindi tayo papasa by year-end ang budget. Kasi very tight na. Meron pa tayong ano pa, may magreresume pa ang impeachment, may ASEAN pa tayo, di ba? Ang daming kaagaw na schedule,” he added.
The senator pointed out that lawmakers face a heavily packed schedule, citing competing national commitments such as the resumption of Senate impeachment proceedings and upcoming engagements related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Congress currently aims to wrap up the bicameral conference committee meetings by the second week of December. Ejercito cautioned that recalling the budget measure would jeopardize this timeline given the limited time remaining for legislative tasks.
His appeal comes in response to calls from the Makabayan bloc—specifically Kabataan Party-list Representative Renee Louise Co and Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Sarah Elago—urging the House to pull back House Bill No. 10858. The progressive lawmakers argued that the proposed 2027 spending plan might replicate unconstitutional and “pork barrel-type” allocations previously struck down by the Supreme Court.
Addressing these concerns, Ejercito assured that all budget provisions would be thoroughly and transparently discussed during the televised bicameral proceedings, noting that the chamber will move away from past practices of utilizing a small committee for such talks.
While leaving the final decision to the discretion of the House, Ejercito also noted that the official ruling from the Supreme Court has yet to be formally released.