DBM targets submitting ₱7.2 trillion 2027 budget to Congress ahead of deadline

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) aims to transmit the proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 to Congress before Aug. 14, well ahead of the constitutional deadline.

"Before August 14," Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon told reporters on Friday when asked about the timeline for submitting the National Expenditure Plan (NEP).

Under the 1987 Constitution, the Executive branch must submit the proposed budget within 30 days of the opening of the regular legislative session, which coincides with the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) set the ₱7.2-trillion spending cap for 2027, which equals 21.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) and marks a 6% increase from this year's ₱6.793-trillion budget.

In National Budget Memorandum No. 158, De Leon highlighted that the proposed expenditure plan aims to expand opportunities for Filipinos while bolstering long-term national resilience and security. Priority sectors include human capital development, food security, infrastructure, climate and disaster resilience, and digital transformation.

However, De Leon acknowledged that crafting the 2027 budget presented significant challenges due to tight fiscal constraints.

Available resources remain heavily tied up in automatic appropriations, such as the National Tax Allotment for local government units, debt service, and mandatory costs under newly enacted laws.

Once transmitted, the NEP will form the framework for the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). Congress will debate and adjust the proposal—provided total spending stays under the ceiling—before passing the final version for the President to sign into the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

-Paraluman News