Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito on Tuesday said he will not allow “last-minute insertions or amendments” during the bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027.
Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, made the statement as the Senate formally received the National Expenditure Program from the executive branch.
“Lahat ng programa at hinihinging pondo ay dapat talakayin sa plenaryo ng magkabilang kapulungan (All requested programs and funds must be done in the plenary of both houses of Congress),” Ejercito said.
He said the budget reforms initiated last year by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, who previously chaired the Committee on Finance, will be continued as senators deliberate on the proposed spending plan.
Ejercito said the Senate will maintain full transparency throughout the budget process.
“The real work begins now. As we go through the 2027 budget, we will carefully examine every allocation and make sure that our limited resources are directed toward programs that truly benefit the Filipino people and support economic growth,” he said.