Projects endorsed by local dev't councils deserve funding priority, senator says

Sen. Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito on Tuesday said local infrastructure projects endorsed by local development councils (LDCs) should remain among the Senate's funding priorities under the proposed 2027 national budget, stressing that not all projects introduced by the House of Representatives are questionable.

Ejercito said the Senate is examining infrastructure projects already included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP), as well as new allocations introduced in the House-approved General Appropriations Bill (GAB), to determine which should receive funding.

“Hindi naman pwedeng isipin na ang karamihan ng mga proyekto na nagmula sa HOR para sa mga distrito ay masama o may bahid. Marami din ay maganda at maayos (We cannot assume that most projects originating from the House for congressional districts are questionable. Many are also worthwhile and properly planned),” he said in a statement.

Ejercito emphasized that alongside major infrastructure investments, smaller projects addressing the immediate needs of communities should also receive priority, provided they have undergone proper planning and approval processes.

He said projects endorsed by LDCs and supported by complete documentary requirements deserve consideration because they generally reflect priorities identified by local communities themselves.

The senator pointed out that development planning follows a bottom-up approach, with local priorities forming part of the basis for national government funding decisions.

His statement comes as the Senate prepares to consolidate proposed amendments to the 2027 GAB following committee-level budget deliberations.

The chamber's review also follows the Supreme Court's recent ruling declaring certain provisions of the 2024 and 2025 national budgets unconstitutional, placing greater attention on the legality and transparency of government appropriations.

Ejercito maintained that infrastructure proposals should be assessed based on their actual benefits to communities and compliance with established procedures, rather than automatically being viewed with suspicion because they originated from congressional districts.

He said the budget process itself recognizes the importance of identifying development needs at the local level before elevating them for national funding consideration.