Makabayan: Prioritize gov’t workers, education, services in 2027 budget

MANILA, Philippines — Makabayan bloc lawmakers urged the House Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSc) to prioritize education, government employees, social services, and agriculture as it begins deliberations on amendments to the 2027 national budget bill.

The House of Representatives wrapped up its plenary deliberations on the P7.2-trillion budget bill last week. The BARSc, composed of select lawmakers from major political parties and the minority bloc, will discuss the proposed amendments lawmakers are expected to introduce on Thursday, Oct. 1.

READ: Tinio questions P500 Pera hike, calls for budget realignment

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In a press briefing, Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co called on the BARSc to increase funding for the education sector, particularly to address insufficient funding for free higher education and capital outlays for state universities and colleges (SUCs).

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She said there was a P5.3-billion funding deficiency for free higher education.

“The Department of Budget and Management’s calculation of the budget for SUCs under Section 4 of RA 10931 is still not accurate. It is always insufficient every year, and they are not able to address the needs of the education sector,” she added.

Article XIV, Section 5(5) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution directs the government to give the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teachers receive adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.

She also called for the restoration of the capital outlay budget for 12 SUCs that were initially given zero budget allocation for 2027, as well as an increase in the salaries of teachers and other non-teaching personnel.

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She said the funding for these items must come from what she described as “still questionable” flood control projects worth P107 billion next year.

For ACT party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, the subcommittee must prioritize increasing the personnel economic relief allowance (Pera) of government employees. He noted that the P2,000 monthly allowance must be increased to P5,000 to address the growing economic crisis.

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Tinio reiterated that the P500 hike to the Pera is not enough amid rising commodity costs. He earlier noted that only P11.79 billion out of the P55.865-billion Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund was allocated to the program.

“What Malacañang and President [Ferdinand] Marcos [Jr.] will do to increase the salary of government employees may be historic after 17 years, but it should not be insufficient like the P500 hike. So that is one urgent call to the BARSc: prioritize our government employees, especially civilian government employees,” Tinio said in a press briefing.

READ: Budget watchdog wary of closed-door negotiations

Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago said the P58-billion local government support fund should be allotted to education, the welfare of government employees, and production subsidies for farmers and fisherfolk to improve local agriculture.

She added that there must be additional funding for the salaries of barangay officers dealing with cases of violence against women and children, the establishment of daycare centers, and social protection programs.

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“The funding for social services should not be compromised to focus on projects vulnerable to corruption amid anomalies in infrastructure projects. We should not be allotting funding for corruption-riddled infrastructure projects,” she said. /mcm