BUDGET watchdog Social Watch Philippines (SWP) has warned that the proposed 2027 national budget could repeat the same problems seen in previous fiscal years if those behind past anomalies are not held accountable.
Speaking at a White Ribbon Movement gathering, SWP Co-convenor Dr. Marivic Raquiza emphasized that the upcoming budget cycle will serve as a litmus test for whether the government has learned from the controversies surrounding the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“The discussion should now move beyond identifying questionable allocations. The bigger challenge is fixing the budget system that allows them to happen,” Raquiza stated.
SWP previously flagged massive discrepancies in the 2026 budget, requesting the veto of roughly ₱319 billion in questionable infrastructure allocations.
The group also raised concerns over ₱708.5 billion in Special Purpose Funds, ₱138 billion in assistance funds inserted during bicameral deliberations, and the continued use of political Guarantee Letters to control taxpayer-funded aid.
Raquiza noted that the absence of consequences enables these practices to persist, pointing out that many individuals who benefited from previous cycles remain central to the current budget-crafting process.
As the executive branch finalizes the 2027 proposal, SWP is urging citizens to demand a budget featuring clear project details, stronger safeguards against discretionary spending, and full disclosure of major allocations.
The group additionally called for increased transparency during the usually closed-door bicameral conference committee deliberations to ensure public scrutiny.
SWP joined the White Ribbon Movement alongside religious leaders and civil society groups calling for truth, accountability, and integrity in public service, yesterday at the People Power Monument in EDSA.
