The House Committee on Appropriations has approved the proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 on Monday, September 14.
Committee Chairperson Mikaela Suansing said the approval was not unanimous, with some lawmakers opposing the measure and potentially raising their concerns during plenary deliberations.
The committee report was approved without amendments since the Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSC) has yet to convene.
“Given that the BARC has not convened yet, the committee report which was approved today was approved with no amendments,” Suansing said.
She said proposed amendments will be taken up once the subcommittee begins its deliberations.
“Yung amendment po lahat po yan ay ating ipapasok sa HCAB kapag na-convene na po ang BARC,” she added.
Among the possible amendments are additional funding for the Department of Education, particularly for the hiring of new teachers and the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program.
Suansing said several sectors, including Education Secretary Sonia Angara, had raised concerns over the lack of funding for these programs during the budget hearings.
The Department of Agriculture has also sought additional funding to address the effects of El Niño, including fertilizer assistance and solar-powered irrigation pumps.
Suansing said the BARSC is expected to convene within the week or early next week. She also confirmed that its budget deliberations will again be livestreamed to allow the public to monitor discussions on proposed amendments, realignments and changes in government spending.
“Wala pong amendment sa budget na hindi po natin dine-deliberate nang bukas sa publiko,” Suansing said.
She added that education will remain among the sectors prioritized in the proposed national budget.
Plenary debates on the proposed 2027 national budget are set to begin in the House on Tuesday, September 15, with lawmakers targeting final passage of the spending bill by October 9.
The Department of Budget and Management formally submitted the ₱7.2-trillion proposed 2027 national budget to Congress in August. The proposed spending plan focuses on education, health, social protection, food security, infrastructure, employment and disaster resilience.
