Philippine business groups demand cleanup of ‘deeply troubling’ 2027 budget: What you need to know
Manila: Filipino business leaders are raising the alarm. They say the House of Representatives-approved 2027 budget carries “deeply troubling” trillion-peso insertions, with lawmakers apparently sidelining President Marcos Jr.’s development agenda and diverting calamity funds meant for the public toward their own pet projects. Filipino congressmen are now facing a backlash, with budget watchdogs…
Philippine business leaders have expressed concern over the 2027 budget approved by the House of Representatives. They claim that the budget includes "deeply troubling" trillion-peso insertions, which divert funds meant for public calamity relief towards personal projects. The budget watchdogs are conducting a line-by-line review of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) to scrutinize these alterations.
The General Appropriations Bill, which is supposed to contain details of each line item, such as a road, a building, or health service, has been found to contain over ₱1 trillion ($15.7 billion) worth of insertions. These insertions, known as "dagdag-bawas" (add-subtract), are often used as a backdoor for kickbacks. The business groups have also flagged the inclusion of projects such as farm-to-market roads located in international waters, buildings on the wrong continents, and questionable health facility funding.
They urge Congress to remove these unsupported projects from the proposed 2027 national budget, warning that infrastructure additions and cuts to essential programs could damage public trust and investor confidence.
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