Palace wants budget watchdogs to scrutinize 2027 budget ‘red flags’

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday urged budget watchdogs to report any “red flags” they uncover in the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027.

At a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would take note of any alleged anomalies flagged by groups reviewing the proposed budget.

READ: House to consult budget watchdogs

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“Sa mga nagbabantay ng budget, kung mayroon po kayong mismong kopya na inyong nakita at napansin na red flag ay ipagbigay-alam lang po ninyo sa amin, bigyan po ninyo kami ng kopya, mismo ang PCO [Presidential Communications Office] dahil kakailanganin din po ito ng Pangulo,” she said.

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(To those monitoring the budget, if you have obtained a copy and noticed any red flags, please inform us and provide us with a copy, particularly the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), as the President will also need it.)

The statement came amid growing scrutiny of the allocations in next year’s proposed budget. 

Budget watchdogs said House lawmakers had asked to meet with them to review the lower chamber’s approved spending bill.

According to Castro, the president would not allow budget amendments that lack sufficient documentation, proper descriptions, and corresponding projects.

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“Ang Pangulo ay hindi makikialam sa trabaho ng Kongreso. Hindi ito panahon para kay Pangulo na pakialaman sila dahil kapag sila ay kinausap at makikialam sa trabaho ng House of Representatives or ng Senado ang sasabihin ng ibang tao ay diktador, kapag naman hindi nakialam sasabihin ninyo walang pakialam,” she also said, reiterating previous statements that Marcos is taking a hands-off approach to the budget deliberations.

(The President will not interfere in the work of Congress. This is not the time for the President to meddle in its affairs because if he talks to them or intervenes in the work of the House of Representatives or the Senate, others will call him a dictator. But if he does not intervene, you will say that he does not care.)

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READ: OSG to question SC’s ‘judicial overreach’ in budget ruling

Castro also reiterated the president’s call for Congress to retain the projects outlined in the National Expenditure Program, warning that removing them could halt or delay projects intended for completion under the Marcos administration.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Solicitor General is set to file a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court on Wednesday on its ruling declaring certain provisions of the 2024, 2025, and 2026 national budgets unconstitutional.

“Nakausap po mismo natin si SolGen Berberabe at bukas pa po sila magsasampa or magpa-file ng motion for reconsideration. Kaugnay doon sa mga budget na maaapektuhan, hihintayin na lang po muna natin ang final na motion for reconsideration at saka ko po iuulat sa inyo,” said Castro.

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(We have personally spoken with Solicitor General Berberabe, and they will only file the motion for reconsideration tomorrow. As for the budgets that may be affected, we will wait for the final motion for reconsideration before I report back to you.) /jpv