Tinio seeks full disclosure of BARSc budget amendments

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Saturday called for the full disclosure of government programs that received amendments during House deliberations on the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027.

The House Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSc) began reviewing the amendments on Thursday.

Tinio said P77.86 billion, or 67 percent of the P116.32 billion in approved amendments, went to seven programs vulnerable to legislative or executive discretion.

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READ: Tinio urges BARSc, House leaders to release detailed budget report

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These included Department of Public Works and Highways capital outlays, the Local Government Support Fund, farm-to-market roads, the Health Facilities Enhancement Program, Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients, Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations.

“These amendments show that pork has not disappeared from the national budget. It has merely been repackaged under institutional amendments, local government support, infrastructure lump sums, and cash assistance programs,” Tinio said.

He said the seven programs had a combined budget of P841.71 billion, nearly half of the government’s projected 2027 deficit.

Their combined allocation increased 12.5% in the proposed 2027 budget, compared with a 2.1% increase in the 2026 enacted budget, Tinio said.

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“Dapat maging bukas sa publiko ang buong budget trail—mula sa nagmungkahi, patungo sa pinondohan, hanggang sa aktuwal na gumastos. Kung walang transparency sa pinagmumulan at paggamit ng pondo, mananatili itong pork barrel kahit palitan ang pangalan,” he said.

(“The entire budget trail must be open to the public—from the proponent and the funded project to the entity that actually spent the money. Without transparency regarding the source and utilization of funds, it will remain ‘pork barrel’ regardless of any name change.”)

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The BARSc approved an additional P4.091 billion for the LGSF, which had a proposed allocation of about P58.53 billion under the 2027 National Expenditure Program.

Tinio also cited P11.49 billion in approved amendments for the DPWH and P4.96 billion for farm-to-market roads.

He said none of the approved amendments had been itemized.

READ: Budget watchdog wary of closed-door negotiations

“Dapat malaman kung alin ang binawasan para madagdagan ang mga nasa proposal. Para sa mga infrastructure projects, dapat malinaw din kung sino ang proponents, district representative man o party-list, para may accountability,” he said.

(“It is necessary to identify which items were reduced to fund the additions in the proposal. For infrastructure projects, the proponents—whether a district representative or a party-list representative—must also be clearly identified to ensure accountability.”)

Tinio also questioned special provisions allowing agencies to modify the programs, saying these suggest that some projects included in the amendments may not be implementable as proposed.

He also called for a higher Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) for government workers, saying no additional funds were provided despite calls to raise the proposed P500 monthly increase.

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Under the proposed 2027 budget, the P500 increase would bring the monthly PERA to P2,500. /ja