Proposed infrastructure projects in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) will not be approved without explicit vetting from Regional or Provincial Development Councils (RDCs/PDCs), Senate Finance Committee Chair Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito announced Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference as the Senate kicked off deliberations on the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027, Ejercito emphasized that required PDC/RDC approvals and feasibility studies are necessary to curb vague, corruption-prone projects.
“We do not want a repeat of past incidents where provinces or local government units were unaware of local projects created merely for financial gain,” Ejercito said.
Ejercito described this year’s budget process as exceptionally challenging due to space constraints tied to the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, as well as manpower shortages among Senate committee vice chairs.
Among the staffing hurdles is the extended medical leave of Senator Loren Legarda, who has been away since August 3. Legarda was slated to oversee budgets related to culture, history, and the environment. Ejercito noted he may reassign her load to other vice chairs if she remains unable to return, though many senators, including Ejercito himself, are already managing heavy portfolios.
Despite the hurdles, Ejercito aims to finalize the committee report during the recess and sponsor the budget bill for plenary debates when regular sessions resume in November following the Halloween break.