Romualdez supportive of PBBM's budget priorities; Escudero defiant

House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed support for President Marcos’ call to realign national priorities with the everyday needs of Filipinos, but Senate President Francis Escudero stood firm that proposed allocations should not be treated as final simply because they originate from the executive branch.

- By ELLSON QUISMORIO and DHEL NAZARIO

“The President’s message was clear: Make the government work better for the people. As Speaker, I am committed to making sure the budget reflects that every centavo must go where it's needed most," Romualdez stressed.

He said the House leadership was prepared to act decisively on long-needed structural changes to the national budget process, and that these reforms must prioritize accountability, eliminate inefficiencies and ensure that spending directly addresses the needs of Filipino families.

"This is not just about numbers, it's about making sure families feel the impact of every peso we allocate," added the Leyte 1st District congressman and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president.

The House, which possesses the "power of the purse," gets first dibs on the National Expenditure Program (NEP). The NEP, which the executive submits to Congress, is the basis of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget.