Executive Secretary Ralph Recto (Courtesy: Office of the Executive Secretary)
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on Thursday defended the proposed 2027 national budget, saying government spending is tied to specific programs and projects and does not contain discretionary funds that could be used for political purposes ahead of the 2028 elections.
Recto said the budget prioritizes major public services, particularly education, infrastructure, agriculture and national security. “The biggest chunk of the education budget, basically, is paying the teachers,” Recto said in a chance interview in Batangas.
He said the government has more than 1 million teachers serving about 25 million students in elementary and secondary schools under the K-12 system. Infrastructure spending is estimated at about P640 billion, while agriculture would receive roughly P250 billion, Recto said. Security-related allocations would exceed P400 billion when combined funding for the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines is considered.
Recto also pushed back against concerns over alleged “leadership funds” and other discretionary allocations in the 2027 spending plan. “There are no discretionary funds for the 2027 budget. Everything listed there has a program of work,” he said, citing the Department of Public Works and Highways, where proposed allocations are supported by documentation and specific programs of work.
Asked whether the proposed spending plan could be viewed as an early campaign budget with the 2028 national elections approaching, Recto declined to comment. “I will not comment on aspersions,” he said, adding that he believed the government had crafted a good budget for 2027.
The Department of Budget and Management earlier proposed a P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027, focused on sustaining economic growth, strengthening public services and addressing infrastructure and social needs.
The Management Association of the Philippines meanwhile called for greater transparency and accountability in the preparation and implementation of the 2027 national budget, amid declining public trust in government and allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds.
MAP urged the executive, legislative and other government agencies involved in the budget process to uphold the highest standards of transparency, integrity and accountability in allocating and spending public funds.
The business group said public confidence has been seriously damaged by allegations involving corruption, questionable projects, irregularities in public spending and misuse of government resources. It stressed that the national budget consists of taxpayers’ money and borrowings that will ultimately be shouldered by current and future generations.
MAP called for zero tolerance for hidden budget insertions, questionable appropriations, favored contractors, ghost or substandard projects, unexplained realignments and the use of public funds for political accommodation or personal gain.
It also urged greater transparency during congressional deliberations and the bicameral conference, particularly on material amendments and budget insertions. MAP said proponents, amounts and purposes of such changes should be fully disclosed.
The group further called for transparency after the General Appropriations Act is signed, saying Filipinos should be able to track public funds from appropriation and release through procurement, contract award, project implementation, completion and audit.
For major infrastructure and government projects, MAP said the public should be able to determine the amount appropriated, the contract recipient, actual disbursements, project deliverables and whether the project achieved the promised results.