JV Ejercito flags ‘major changes’ in House-approved 2027 budget bill

Compared with the government's original 2027 National Expenditure Program, the House-approved General Appropriations Bill made large reallocations. It reduced foreign-assisted projects by P130 billion and calamity funds by P9.5 billion. Health and infrastructure programs also lost funding.

The Department of Health's immunization program was cut by P4 billion. Its Health Facilities Enhancement Program lost P4.5 billion. Right-of-way funding fell by P2.6 billion, while flood mitigation structures within major river basins lost P4.6 billion.

The House also added money elsewhere. Medical assistance for poor patients rose by P23.9 billion. A new P10-billion farmer and fisherfolk program was included, along with P8.04 billion for DPWH flood mitigation structures. These changes are now under Senate review.

The House-approved budget reduced several major funding lines from the government's original proposal. Foreign-assisted projects faced the largest cited reduction, at P130 billion. Calamity funds were cut by P9.5 billion. These figures show that the changes extended well beyond health spending.

Within the Department of Health, the immunization program lost P4 billion. The Health Facilities Enhancement Program, which supports improvements and expansion of government facilities, lost P4.5 billion. Together, those health cuts total P8.5 billion.

The article also reports a P2.6-billion cut to right-of-way funding and a P4.6-billion reduction for flood mitigation structures in major river basins. These are proposed changes in the House version, not final spending decisions. The Senate is reviewing the bill before later bicameral negotiations.

The National Expenditure Program, or NEP, is the government's original proposed spending plan. It is prepared by the executive branch and presents how public money is requested for the coming year. It serves as the starting point for congressional budget review.

The General Appropriations Bill, or GAB, is the proposed annual budget law considered by Congress. In the Philippine process, the House examines the executive proposal first and may revise funding. The Senate then reviews its version. A bicameral conference committee reconciles differences between the two chambers.

Here, the House-approved GAB differed sharply from the 2027 NEP. It cut immunization, health facilities, calamity funds, and foreign-assisted projects, while increasing medical assistance. The Senate formally received the bill on October 13 and planned committee hearings before plenary action. The final budget would follow further congressional steps.

Medical assistance and prevention address different budget needs. Medical assistance helps patients who are already sick or unable to pay. Immunization and stronger health facilities aim to prevent illness and maintain the system that serves communities.

The House version added P23.9 billion to the DOH's Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program. At the same time, it cut P4 billion from immunization and P4.5 billion from the Health Facilities Enhancement Program. The article does not identify the House's reason for making these choices.

Ejercito said the contrast was a puzzle because preventive care is a key part of Universal Health Care. The Senate will examine the House version through committee hearings. It could question the reallocations and consider changes before the budget moves through plenary debate and bicameral negotiations.

Preventive programs reduce health risks before people become seriously ill. Immunization protects communities from vaccine-preventable diseases, while stronger facilities help government services deliver care. Cutting these areas can weaken protection and readiness, especially when public systems must serve many people.

The House version cut P4 billion from immunization and P4.5 billion from the Health Facilities Enhancement Program. At the same time, it increased medical assistance for poor and financially incapacitated patients by P23.9 billion. This structure places more emphasis on helping people after illness or financial hardship appears.

The article does not measure the cuts' eventual health effects. Ejercito nevertheless linked the issue directly to Universal Health Care, saying prevention should be strengthened. The Senate's review may determine whether the reallocations remain, change, or receive further explanation before final approval.

Preventive health care acts before illness becomes a serious problem. It includes immunization and health promotion, which can protect many people at once. Health-facility improvements also support the public system's ability to provide services in communities.

Medical assistance works later in the patient's journey. The DOH's MAIFIP program supports indigent and financially incapacitated patients who need help with medical costs. In the House version, this program received P23.9 billion more, while immunization lost P4 billion and facility improvements lost P4.5 billion.

Both forms of support matter, but they solve different problems. Prevention seeks to reduce illness and future demand. Medical assistance responds to people already facing sickness and financial hardship. Ejercito questioned reducing prevention while expanding assistance, especially because prevention is central to Universal Health Care.

The process begins with the executive branch's National Expenditure Program, which proposes spending for the next year. Congress then reviews how much money should go to departments and programs. Lawmakers weigh competing needs, such as health, infrastructure, disaster response, and assistance for vulnerable groups.

The House of Representatives considers the proposal first and approves its version of the General Appropriations Bill. The Senate reviews that bill through committees and later debates it in plenary. In this case, the Senate received the House version and set deadlines for committee reports and hearings.

If the House and Senate versions differ, a bicameral conference committee works out a common text. Ejercito said he wanted those proceedings livestreamed for transparency. The Senate planned to finish hearings by October 23, sponsor the bill in plenary by November 23, and seek approval by the second week of December.