Thirteen members of the House of Representatives voted against the proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 on Monday, October 13, citing concerns over transparency, spending priorities, alleged pork barrel insertions, and the distribution of public funds.
The House approved House Bill No. 10858, the General Appropriations Bill, on third and final reading with 281 lawmakers voting in favor, 13 against, and one abstaining, according to House records.
Lawmakers Who Voted No
Those who cast dissenting votes were Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Egay Erice, Cebu City 1st District Rep. Rachel Del Mar, Kamanggagawa Rep. Eli San Fernando, Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Akbayan Reps. Perci Cendaña, Chel Diokno, and Dadah Kiram Ismula, Kabataan Rep. Renee Co, Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima, Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago, Albay 1st District Rep. Krisel Lagman, and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio.
The lawmakers represent a cross-section of opposition and independent blocs, and their objections spanned a range of issues — from the chamber's own budget process to alleged discretionary fund insertions worth hundreds of billions of pesos.
Tiangco Challenges House's Own Budget Scrutiny
Tiangco questioned whether the House applied to its own spending the same scrutiny it demands of other government agencies. He pointed to a ₱5-billion increase approved by the Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee (BARSc), which he said raised the chamber's proposed budget to ₱28.37 billion.
Tiangco has pressed the issue since the start of budget hearings in August, when he asked why the House budget was not subjected to pre-plenary review and proposed publishing per-district allocations on the House website. In September, his motion to reopen deliberations on the congressional budget was denied on procedural grounds.
Del Mar: Cebu City District Funds Slashed by More Than Half
Del Mar said she opposed the measure after proposed infrastructure funding for her district was cut by more than half — from ₱1.3 billion in the 2026 budget to ₱492 million in 2027. She also questioned the reported non-release of ₱280 million allocated in 2025 and ₱643 million in 2026.
Del Mar said the funding delays have affected drainage, flood-control, and other critical projects in her flood-prone Cebu City district.
San Fernando, Erice Slam Fund Distribution as Politically Driven
San Fernando said the budget failed to address the people's needs and lacked transparency, describing the BARSc hearing process as "scripted."
Erice questioned the large allocations for public works amid ongoing corruption controversies and criticized what he described as politically driven distribution of funds that could benefit allies of the current administration.
De Lima, Diokno, and Ismula Flag Patronage and Service Gaps
De Lima warned that the budget's heavy emphasis on financial assistance programs could foster political patronage. Diokno questioned allocations for education and other essential services.
Cendaña raised concerns about funding for health care and public transportation. Ismula said health care funding was insufficient and argued that a greater share should have been directed to PhilHealth rather than to Department of Health subsidy programs.
Tinio Alleges ₱100-Billion in Pork-Type Amendments
ACT Teachers Rep. Tinio made some of the most specific allegations during the plenary session. He claimed that ₱100.44 billion of the ₱116.32 billion in amendments approved by BARSc on October 1 and 2 were pork barrel-type allocations, covering infrastructure projects, financial assistance programs, and other discretionary funds.
Tinio also cited 6,212 projects worth ₱180.5 billion that he said were inserted during House deliberations, raising the Department of Public Works and Highways' project count from 11,303 under the National Expenditure Program to 16,270. He called for full disclosure of project details, proponents, and allocation criteria.
A point of order Tinio raised over BARSc's failure to release a detailed report of its amendments was ruled "not well taken" by the majority during plenary proceedings.
House Leaders and DBM Defend the Process
House leaders maintained that the amendment process was open and inclusive. Appropriations Committee chair Mikaela Suansing said in August that no amendments would be made without public deliberation, and that BARSc — which replaced the former "small committee" — would include members from all parties and the minority bloc.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has separately stated that there is no appropriation identified as "pork barrel" in the 2027 National Expenditure Program, according to earlier official statements.
Budget Now Heads to the Senate
With House passage secured, the General Appropriations Bill now moves to the Senate for its own deliberations. Differences between the two chambers' versions will be reconciled in a bicameral conference committee. The final consolidated measure will then be submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for signing into law.
By the Numbers
- ₱7.2 trillion — Total proposed national budget for 2027
- 281 — Lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill
- 13 — Lawmakers who voted against
- ₱28.37 billion — House's own proposed budget after the ₱5-billion BARSc increase
- ₱492 million — Infrastructure allocation for Del Mar's district in 2027, down from ₱1.3 billion in 2026
- ₱100.44 billion — Amount Tinio alleged were pork barrel-type amendments, out of ₱116.32 billion total BARSc amendments
- 6,212 — Projects worth ₱180.5 billion allegedly inserted during House deliberations
- 16,270 — Final DPWH project count, up from 11,303 in the National Expenditure Program
Why This Matters
The 2027 national budget, at ₱7.2 trillion, is among the largest spending proposals in Philippine history, and the objections raised on the House floor — covering alleged pork barrel insertions, reduced district allocations, and a lack of transparency in the amendment process — directly affect how public funds reach communities across the country.
The allegations of discretionary fund insertions worth over ₱100 billion, if substantiated during Senate deliberations or public scrutiny, could reshape the final budget and reignite longstanding debates over pork barrel practices that the Supreme Court has previously struck down. The bill's passage to the Senate opens a new round of scrutiny that will determine the government's spending framework for the entire year 2027.
Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives/Official Facebook Page