Senate to Remove 295 Flagged Projects Worth ₱8.8 Billion From 2027 Budget

 

The Senate is preparing to eliminate 295 infrastructure projects valued at ₱8.836 billion from the proposed 2027 national budget after these failed to meet the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) evaluation requirements.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said projects without sufficient technical documentation and verifiable supporting records would be excluded from the proposed ₱7.2-trillion spending plan. He stressed that public funds should only be allocated to projects that are properly evaluated and ready for implementation.

The move follows concerns over widespread irregularities identified during the Senate's review of infrastructure allocations. During a September hearing, Gatchalian disclosed that 7,107 of the 11,395 projects examined, equivalent to more than 62 percent, had at least one significant budgetary warning sign.

These included missing project station numbers and geographical coordinates, overlapping or fragmented infrastructure proposals, and inconsistencies in the specified types of construction work.

Such deficiencies raise questions about whether projects have clearly defined locations, scopes and implementation requirements. Without these details, lawmakers cannot reliably determine whether proposed spending addresses actual infrastructure needs or creates opportunities for questionable allocations.

Gatchalian maintained that projects lacking credible documentation should receive no government funding, particularly amid economic pressures that make responsible public spending more critical.

Meanwhile, Senate finance committee chairman JV Ejercito reiterated his commitment to restoring the original allocation for Foreign-Assisted Projects in the 2027 budget. He also said he would avoid making changes to the administration's designated legacy projects.

Palace to Seek Reconsideration of Supreme Court Budget Ruling

Separately, Malacañang confirmed that the Office of the Solicitor General is expected to challenge the Supreme Court's recent decision declaring the 2024 and 2025 national budgets unconstitutional, along with certain provisions of the 2026 spending law.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said Solicitor General Darlene Marie Berberabe's office was scheduled to submit a motion for reconsideration on November 4.

The Supreme Court's ruling on the 2024 budget centered on Congress' decision to increase unprogrammed appropriations by ₱449.5 billion, which the high court found unconstitutional.

For the 2025 national budget, the court questioned a legislative increase of ₱17.99 billion in the special road fund, also declaring the measure unconstitutional.

The pending motion places the government's handling of national appropriations under further scrutiny, as lawmakers and executive officials face mounting pressure to ensure that infrastructure spending and budget adjustments comply with constitutional requirements.