Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno explained his “NO” vote against the proposed 2027 National Budget, heavily criticizing the allocations for neglecting education and health in favor of “patronage politics” and a lack of transparency.
Diokno strongly asserted that the 2027 spending plan protects the old political establishment while abandoning ordinary citizens. The lawmaker outlined four primary grounds for his opposition:
- Neglect of Education: Diokno highlighted that the Department of Education (DepEd) faced a massive ₱50.7 billion budget cut compared to the previous year. Funding was also slashed for CHED, TESDA, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and classroom construction (down by ₱3.1 billion).
- Prioritizing Patronage Politics: The representative condemned the ₱55 billion reduction in PhilHealth’s budget, contrasting it with the influx of over ₱65 billion into referral-based programs like MAIFIP, AICS, and the Tulong Dunong scholarship program.
- Lack of Transparency: He questioned the deployment of over ₱100 billion in unprogrammed funds and infrastructure allocations that completely lack a clear, itemized list of target projects.
- Exclusion of the Public: Diokno called out the exclusion of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from the budget deliberations. “How can we call this a ‘People’s Budget’ if the citizens themselves were shut out of the process?” he asked.
Diokno concluded his statement by firmly rejecting the bill, stating that the 2027 National Budget ultimately leaves the public behind to shield a broken, traditional system. # (ZIA LUNA)
