Same Old Story

BBM is facing a big test on how much he has learned from this year's big public outcry against the large-scale looting of the national budget by his allies in Congress.

- BOO CHANCO

Or will it be the same old story?

Well, it looks like nobody learned anything. Even before the budget is submitted to Congress, the Department of Budget and Management, through the Development Budget Coordination Committee, has already thrown in the towel.

The unprogrammed appropriations (or contingency funds), in the draft FY 2026 National Expenditures Program or NEP is about P245 billion.

That may be a reduction from this year's P363 billion allocation. But important national interest projects remain unprogrammed.

They will surely try to sell this token decline to mean tighter prioritization and less discretionary wiggle room. But that's not the reality. BBM's budget department surrendered fiscal space for pork funds in their budget draft.

The budget proposal already relegated vital national priority projects to unprogrammed appropriations or standby funds.

The list includes: counterpart funds for foreign-assisted projects: P97.3 billion (40 percent); government infrastructure and social programs: P78.4 billion (32 percent); AFP modernization: P40 billion; Bangko Sentral equity infusion: P10 billion; Marawi Siege Victims Compensation: P2 billion plus a few more items.

So, nothing has changed. Last year, we saw how they shifted into unprogrammed funds supporting AFP modernization, foreign-assisted mega-projects and social/infrastructure programs. Tell me... what could be more important than these items if we are talking of the national interest?

If these important items remain unprogrammed, it means little or no funds will flow toward adequate public transport, a capable and well-equipped armed forces and essential health services for those in need.

There's a real risk that our counterpart funding for major foreign-assisted rail projects could be in jeopardy.