The Philippines’ proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 has officially entered the congressional review process, putting billions of pesos in planned government spending under the microscope as lawmakers begin determining where public funds should go.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) formally transmitted the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to Congress on August 11, with the Senate and House of Representatives receiving the spending proposal in separate turnover ceremonies.
The proposed budget is 6 percent higher than the ₱6.793-trillion 2026 national budget and is equivalent to about 21.7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The administration has framed the spending plan under the theme “People-Centered Growth for an Inclusive and Resilient Future.”
But while the government says the plan puts Filipinos at the center, the next stage could prove far more contentious.
Education, health and social services take center stage
Education remains one of the biggest priorities in the proposed spending plan.
The Department of Education is set to receive about ₱976 billion, the largest allocation among national government departments. Higher education, including state universities and colleges and the Commission on Higher Education, is proposed to receive another ₱176.5 billion.
The broader education sector would therefore account for roughly ₱1.31 trillion in proposed spending.
Health is another major component, with the consolidated health sector allocation reaching about ₱353.8 billion for the Department of Health, specialty hospitals and PhilHealth-related spending.
At the sectoral level, social services receive the largest share at ₱2.456 trillion, while economic services are allotted approximately ₱1.833 trillion, according to budget figures reported following the proposal’s submission.
Other major proposed allocations include:
- ₱644 billion for the Department of Public Works and Highways
- ₱332.5 billion for the interior and local government sector
- ₱328.8 billion for national defense
- ₱302.2 billion for transportation
- ₱261.7 billion for agriculture
- ₱241.6 billion for social welfare
- ₱86.3 billion for the judiciary
Flood-control money returns—with questions attached
One of the most closely watched portions of the proposal is the ₱107.4-billion allocation for flood-control projects.
The funding covers the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and improvement of existing infrastructure, as well as other flood-control projects. The proposal also includes ₱19.6 billion in capital outlay for ongoing foreign-assisted projects and ₱3.41 billion for Metro Manila flood-control projects under the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The proposed restoration of flood-control funding comes after widespread scrutiny and corruption investigations surrounding infrastructure projects.
Acting Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon has defended the allocation, arguing that government cannot simply abandon unfinished flood-control projects and that some facilities—including pumping stations—require continuing operation and maintenance funding. He also said proposed projects would undergo stricter vetting to prevent so-called “ghost” projects from receiving public funds.
That explanation, however, has not ended questions surrounding infrastructure spending.
Senators signal tougher scrutiny
The Senate has already signaled that the ₱7.2-trillion proposal will face close examination.
Senate Finance Committee Chairperson Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito has pledged to push for greater transparency in the budget process, including measures intended to prevent last-minute insertions and amendments during bicameral deliberations. The Senate also plans to strengthen scrutiny of proposed amendments and examine agencies’ utilization rates.
Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has raised concerns over what he described as questionable lump-sum appropriations for infrastructure projects.
Lump-sum appropriations can cover broad groups of projects without immediately providing a detailed breakdown of the cost of every project, which Lacson said warrants closer examination during the budget process.
That means the Senate’s review will not simply be about how large the budget is—but how clearly every peso is accounted for.
House hearings begin as Congress digs into the numbers
The House of Representatives is also moving quickly.
According to Philstar, House budget deliberations are scheduled to begin on August 17, starting with a briefing from the Development Budget Coordination Committee on financing sources, expenditure levels and agency proposals. The House is working toward approving the proposed budget by October 9 under a 53-day timetable.
The House has also promised public participation through its LegisHear initiative, which seeks to gather input from communities around the country about their needs and priorities.
House leaders say the central question is whether proposed spending will translate into concrete benefits for ordinary Filipinos.
The bigger question: Will Filipinos feel the ₱7.2 trillion?
The 2027 NEP is more than a collection of numbers.
It represents the government’s proposed spending blueprint for the final full year of the Marcos administration and places major bets on education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, social protection, transportation and national security.
But the proposal is not yet the final 2027 national budget.
Congress still has the authority to scrutinize, revise and amend the spending plan before the General Appropriations Act is enacted.
And that is where the most important questions are likely to emerge:
Which programs will receive more money? Which allocations could be reduced? Which infrastructure projects will survive congressional scrutiny—and where will lawmakers demand a clearer accounting of every peso?
For a government promising a “people-centered” budget, the coming hearings may ultimately determine whether that promise is reflected not only in the size of the spending plan, but in where the money actually goes.
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