Senate finance committee chairperson JV Ejercito said on Wednesday, October 14, that the House-approved version of the P7.2-trillion 2027 general appropriations bill carries substantial reductions in preventive health programs and infrastructure projects compared with the spending plan the executive submitted.
Speaking at a news briefing, Ejercito said the Senate formally received the House-approved budget bill on Tuesday afternoon and that copies have since been distributed to senators. He described the differences between the House version and the 2027 National Expenditure Program as major changes, according to Rappler.
The senator pointed to a P130-billion reduction in foreign-assisted projects, a P9.5-billion cut in calamity funds, and billions of pesos removed from health programs. He also cited a P2.6-billion reduction in right-of-way funding and a P4.6-billion cut in funding for flood mitigation structures within major river basins.
Why it matters
The figures Ejercito disclosed set up a direct confrontation between the two chambers over how the country's largest annual spending measure allocates money. Because the Senate can amend the House version, the reductions he flagged may not survive the bicameral process — but the scale of the reallocations, particularly in health, raises questions about the direction of the government's Universal Health Care program.
Ejercito framed the shift as a contradiction at the heart of the spending plan. He said the House version cut preventive care while increasing medical assistance, which he described as a puzzle given that strengthening preventive care is one of the key elements of Universal Health Care. He asked what the point was of removing funding for immunization and health promotion only to provide medical assistance once people fall ill, Rappler reported.
Where the money moved
According to the figures Ejercito presented, the House version reduced the Department of Health's immunization program by P4 billion and cut the DOH-Health Facilities Enhancement Program by P4.5 billion. The HFEP pays for the improvement and expansion of government health facilities.
On the other side of the ledger, the House version increased funding for the DOH's Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients by P23.9 billion. It also set aside P10 billion for a new Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk program under the Department of Agriculture, and added P8.04 billion for flood mitigation structures under the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The pattern Ejercito described — less money for prevention and facilities, more for direct patient assistance and a new agricultural aid program — is the core of his objection. He said the reductions to preventive health programs were substantial while medical assistance grew, and he questioned the logic of that trade-off in Filipino remarks at the briefing.
The House of Representatives approved the proposed 2027 budget on Monday. Rappler reported that the approval came amid concerns from some lawmakers and civil society organizations that the spending plan contains pork barrel allocations.
Senate timetable and transparency pledge
Ejercito said the Senate finance committee's vice chairpersons face an October 23 deadline to submit their committee reports. The chamber is aiming to complete all budget-related committee hearings by that date before taking a brief recess.
He said he hopes to sponsor the 2027 budget bill in the Senate plenary by November 23 and have it approved by the second week of December.
The Senate paused its impeachment court duties starting October 14 to make room for the budget hearings, Rappler reported.
Ejercito also said the chamber plans to continue livestreaming the bicameral conference committee, an approach he credited to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian from his time as finance chairperson. He said the Senate is staying in contact with civil society organizations, academics, and other watchdogs, and will meet them on October 26 to hear their observations on the budget.
The Senate's review now moves into committee hearings, with the October 23 report deadline and the November 23 plenary sponsorship target as the next markers to watch.
