DBM transmits record ₱7.2-trillion 2027 proposed national budget to President Marcos

MANILA — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has officially turned over the proposed ₱7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for Fiscal Year 2027 to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., marking the start of the executive branch’s final budget rollout ahead of legislative review.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed the submission during a press briefing on Monday, August 10, 2026. 

DBM Secretary Kim de Leon presented the physical copies of the executive spending blueprint to the President during a high-level briefing at Malacañang Palace.

Alignment with National Priorities

Anchored on the theme “People-Centered Growth for an Inclusive and Resilient Future,” the proposed fiscal framework represents a strategic effort to balance macro-economic stability with targeted social spending. 

The ₱7.2-trillion budget proposal prioritizes five core pillars designed to drive sustainable development across the archipelago:

Education: Expanded funding for basic and tertiary education infrastructure, teacher training, and digital classrooms.

Healthcare: Upgraded public hospitals, broader universal healthcare coverage, and local health facility enhancements.

Livelihood  and Economic Growth: Targeted support for agricultural modernization, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and public infrastructure programs.

National Security: Continued modernization of national defense forces and enhanced border and maritime protection measures.

Community Development: Local government support funds, flood management projects, and rural electrification initiatives.

Castro emphasized that the 2027 NEP focuses on fiscal discipline while maximizing public investment. 

"Every peso in this spending proposal is calibrated to elevate the standard of government services, protect vulnerable sectors against external economic shocks, and generate sustainable opportunities for every Filipino," she noted.

The Legislative Path Ahead

As the Executive Branch’s formal proposal, the NEP serves as the baseline for the draft General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

The DBM is scheduled to formally transmit the complete budget documents to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, August 11, triggering the constitutionally mandated legislative phase of the budget process. 

Once received, the House Committee on Appropriations will begin marathon deliberations before passing the bill to the Senate for further scrutiny.

Under the Philippine Constitution, the national budget must originate from the House of Representatives before being consolidated, passed by both chambers, and sent back to the President for final approval ahead of the new fiscal year on January 1, 2027.

-Paraluman News with a report from the Philippine News Agency