House OKs P7.2-T national budget for 2027 on 2nd reading
The Philippine House of Representatives has approved a P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 on the second reading. Opposition lawmakers have raised concerns regarding the transparency of the process and the late introduction of amendments.
Why it matters
The budget process is critical for national governance, and allegations of lack of transparency in large-scale spending can impact public trust and political stability.
Manila Bulletin - House OKs P7.2-T national budget for 2027 on 2nd reading
House OKs P7.2-T national budget for 2027 on 2nd reading
The House approved the P7.2-trillion 2027 General Appropriations Bill (HB 10858) on second reading by voice vote Wednesday night, with final passage expected early next week.
Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio objected to the lack of a detailed report on the P116.32 billion in BARSc institutional amendments, saying he had to review the six-hour livestream to calculate the total. The biggest realignments included P28 billion for DOH's MAIFIP and P26 billion for DSWD's AICS.
Tinio and Kamanggagawa Rep. Eli San Fernando questioned the transparency of the process, noting that lawmakers received the roughly 4,000-page substitute bill at 1:57 a.m. Wednesday, leaving little time to scrutinize the amendments before the evening vote.
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