MANILA, Philippines – Three lawmakers from the House of Representatives maintained that the House-approved ₱7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 reflects the needs of Filipinos, despite concerns over billions of pesos allocated for infrastructure projects.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, October 20, Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon, and Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua expressed confidence in the House leadership and their fellow lawmakers in preparing the proposed spending measure.

Their statements came after the People's Budget Coalition urged the Senate to remove questionable infrastructure allocations, particularly around ₱170 billion in additional funding for multipurpose buildings and local roads.

The coalition raised concerns about whether the projects were necessary and whether some allocations could involve irregularities.

Lawmakers urge fair assessment of infrastructure projects

Luistro, chairperson of the House Committee on Justice, cautioned against drawing conclusions about the proposed budget before Congress completes its deliberations.

She emphasized that the measure remains under legislative review, with the Senate authorized to introduce amendments and both chambers expected to reconcile any differences through a bicameral conference committee.

Luistro also maintained that infrastructure spending should be assessed according to the actual needs of communities.

She said projects that serve legitimate public purposes should not be considered problematic simply because they involve multipurpose buildings or local roads.

However, she stressed that projects that exist only on paper, commonly known as ghost projects, are unacceptable.

Ridon calls for project-by-project review

Ridon, chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts, supported a closer examination of the questioned allocations rather than automatically removing entire categories of infrastructure spending.

He said the primary consideration should be whether the proposed facilities address genuine community needs and benefit local residents.

Among the examples he cited were senior citizens' centers, barangay facilities, and municipal buildings, which may provide essential services to communities.

Ridon maintained that unnecessary projects should be rejected, while those with clear public benefits should be evaluated on their individual merits.

Chua highlights importance of evacuation facilities

Meanwhile, Chua, chairperson of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, warned that a blanket removal of multipurpose building allocations could affect projects intended to support communities during emergencies.

He pointed out that some multipurpose facilities also serve as evacuation centers for residents displaced by floods and other disasters.

Chua emphasized that infrastructure requirements differ among communities and that lawmakers should consider the intended use and benefits of each project before deciding whether funding should be retained or removed.

Senate review remains the next step

Despite the questions surrounding the infrastructure allocations, the three lawmakers maintained that the House-approved spending measure should be given the opportunity to undergo the remaining stages of congressional deliberations.

The proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget will still be reviewed by the Senate, which may retain, revise, or remove allocations before the final spending measure is reconciled by both chambers.

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