LAWMAKERS from major political parties in the House of Representatives on Monday called for closer scrutiny of government programs with poor spending performance to ensure that funds realigned under the proposed 2027 national budget come from appropriate sources.
FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe urged senators and civil society organizations (CSOs) to help identify underperforming programs and verify whether their allocations could be better used for urgent public needs.
“Dito medyo kailangan namin ng tulong ng mga CSO at ng mga counterparts po natin sa Senado na kung pwede tingnan kung ano ’yung mga underperforming, underspending na mga programs and budget items,” Poe said at a press conference.
He stressed that the House also wanted to ensure that funding for critical projects was drawn from the right sources.
“We want to make sure even on our end that kung ano ’yung na-identify as sources of funding para sa mga critical projects are the right sources of funding,” Poe said.
Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Romeo Momo Sr. of the Nacionalista Party explained that the House did not necessarily remove the entire allocation of an underperforming program.
“Ang hindi naman lahat kinuha ’yung budget. Tinitingnan lang ng BARC kung magkano kaya ang maubos nila,” Momo said, referring to the House Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee.
He said lawmakers considered agencies’ remaining funds from previous years and their capacity to implement additional projects.
“So binabalanse din ng BARC iyon na kung magkano lang ang kunin at may iiwan pa rin,” Momo added.
Poe also thanked civil society groups for voluntarily reviewing the national budget and identifying questionable allocations.
“They volunteered to do that work. And so we’re grateful for that,” he said.
He urged the groups to extend their scrutiny to programs with low spending rates that could serve as funding sources for more urgent government services.
“The next step is also to check ano ’yung mga programs in this year that are underperforming,” Poe said.
The proposed 2027 national budget is now under Senate review before the two chambers reconcile their respective versions in a bicameral conference committee.
metrosundaily
