By Politiko staff
Amid widespread public fury over systemic corruption and the controversial flood control project scam, Senate Finance Committee Chair JV Ejercito assured the public on Thursday that not a single peso of taxpayers’ money will be squandered or mismanaged under the proposed 2027 national budget.
Speaking at the opening of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) deliberations on the proposed P7.2-trillion spending plan for 2027, the Senior Deputy Majority Floor Leader promised a shift toward absolute transparency and government accountability.
“Naririnig namin ang inyong mga hinaing at panawagan para sa transparency at gobyernong mapagkakatiwalaan. Bilang Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Finance, hindi natin papayagan na ang pondo ng bayan ay muling masayang, mawaldas, o mapunta sa maling kamay,” Ejercito declared.
“Ang bawat piso, bawat sentimo ay dapat mapunta lamang sa mga programa at proyektong nakalatag sa budget proposal at lantad na pinag-usapan sa plenaryo,” he added.
Ejercito outlined a “back to basics” strategy for scrutinizing next year’s record P7.2-trillion allocation, emphasizing that public resources must directly serve the people’s immediate needs—specifically health, education, and job-generating infrastructure.
“As we formally begin these deliberations, I want to underscore our clear intention to go ‘back to basics’ in crafting this budget,” Ejercito said. “In going ‘back to basics,’ we mean accountability for every peso we appropriate, with a clear focus on the basic needs of the people such as health, education, and infrastructure that will generate quality jobs and put food on the table.”
To prevent the recurrence of budget insertions and opaque allocations, Ejercito pushed for sweeping procedural reforms within Congress. He insisted that all budget amendments must undergo open plenary debates rather than being snuck in through last-minute insertions during the Bicameral Conference Committee. He also threw his support behind livestreaming bicameral proceedings and granting full public access to budget documentation.
The Senate panel, Ejercito noted, will subject every agency’s proposed program to rigorous testing by questioning its necessity, cost-effectiveness, readiness for implementation, and institutional accountability in case of delays or failures.
“Ang dapat nating pigilan ay korapsyon at anomalya, hindi ang pag-unlad,” Ejercito stressed.
The senator highlighted healthcare as a core priority of the 2027 spending strategy, warning against hollow infrastructure spending that neglects frontline medical services.
“Hindi maaaring gusali lamang ang nakikita ng taumbayan. Dapat may doktor, nars, gamot, kagamitan, at serbisyong tunay nilang mapapakinabangan,” he pointed out.
Closing his opening address, Ejercito called on the Marcos administration’s economic managers to back Senate Bill No. 2, or the Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act. He argued that a fragmented approach to public works must end in favor of a cohesive, long-term national strategy.
“Hindi puwedeng kanya-kanyang proyekto ang bawat ahensya at bawat lugar. Roads, bridges, flood control, irrigation, railways, ports, and other infrastructure must form part of one coherent plan based on the actual needs and long-term development of the country,” Ejercito stated.
“Dapat malinaw kung paano nagkakaugnay ang mga proyekto, kung paano ito lilikha ng trabaho at negosyo, at kung paano nito palalakasin ang ekonomiya hindi lamang ngayon, kundi sa mga susunod na taon,” he said.—Politiko.com.ph
