Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Malacañang on Thursday assured the public of enough guardrails in the proposed 2027 national budget that it will not become an election budget. This comes after Senator Panfilo Lacson said he and his staff are looking into items that may indicate the 2027 budget could become a “political” or “election” budget ahead of the 2028 national elections. “It could become an election or campaign budget this early because 2027 will bring us closer to the 2028 elections,” the lawmaker earlier said in an interview.“Marami po tayong paraan para makita natin kung may mga proyektong napondohan pero hindi nagawa dahil iyan naman po ang gusto ng ating Pangulo. Hindi na po nanaisin ng Pangulo na magkaroon ng mga ghost projects na nangyari sa mga nakaraang administrasyon at sa administrasyong kasalukuyan,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in an interview Thursday, August 20.  <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/15/lacson-flags-questionable-lump-sum-items-in-proposed-2027-budget-1207">Lacson flags &#x27;questionable&#x27; lump sum items in proposed 2027 budget</a></div>Castro meanwhile cited that Department of Budget and Management’s justification after Lacson questioned a supposed “uniform” P180-million lumpsum allocation for evacuation centers in each 17 regions under the proposed 2027 national budget.The said lumpsum allocation amounts to more than P3 billion which “lacked key details, including specific locations where they would be built,” according to Lacson.The budget department said the absence of specific locations “does not mean that the evacuation centers have no identified implementation process or may be located arbitrarily.”It cited the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act where the NDRRMC, in coordination with the LGUs and relevant agencies, is “specifically mandated to identify and prioritize the sites while DPWH serves as the implementing agency.” “The sites must be selected based on technical considerations including disaster risk topography, available land and the actual needs of communities, thus, the specific locations are determined through the process prescribed by law rather than by DBM or DPWH discretion,” the DBM said as read by Castro. Under the 2027 proposed budget, the proposal allocation covers two Ligtas Pinoy Centers per region at 90 million pesos per center, based on the LPC five-year implementation plan inclusive of the site development and adjustments for unique site conditions. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/18/ombudsman-several-lawmakers-face-preliminary-probe-over-conflict-of-interest-1638">Ombudsman: Several lawmakers face preliminary probe over conflict of interest</a></div>The budget department further noted that the site identification process is already underway.“On 10 August 2026, DPWH formally requested from the Office of the Civil Defense the prioritized list of sites to ensure that projects are properly identified and ready for implementation,” it said.“In short, the purpose, number, cost and implementing framework are already defined. The specific sites are being finalized through the legally mandated prioritization process,” it added.  “So, naka-define naman po ang numero kung ilan ang papagawa, kung magkano at iyong implementing framework ay nakasaad na rin po. Ang hinahanap na lang po iyong tamang site,” Castro said. The Palace official also addressed the alleged “heavy allocation” for “ayuda” or social services.“Sa ngayon po alam po naman natin na lahat ng mga ibinibigay natin na mga ayuda sa ating mga kababayan tulad ng “Walang Gutom” program ito ay pantawid gutom. So, sa mga pagkakataon na iyong ibang mga kababayan natin ay walang trabaho, natanggal sa trabaho or naghahanap pa ng trabaho at hindi nakakaya na sustinahan ang pangangailangan ng kanilang mga pamilya ay nandiyan po ang tulong ng pamahalaan. Pati po iyong mga katulad ng 4Ps, ito po ay nakakatulong sa mga estudyante para mas marating nila ang kanilang minimithi na adhikain or ambisyon,” she said.“So, may mga pagkakataon talaga na hindi ito pangmatagalan pero iyong effect nito sa ating mga kababayan ay pangmatagalan,” Castro added.

Malacañang on Thursday assured the public of enough guardrails in the proposed 2027 national budget that it will not become an election budget.

Malacañang on Thursday assured the public of enough guardrails in the proposed 2027 national budget that it will not become an election budget.

Palace allays fears national budget will become ‘election’, ‘campaign’ budget

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Palace allays fears national budget will become ‘election’, ‘campaign’ budget

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 20, 2026 04:58 PM PHT

Read More:

Palace

Claire Castro

Ping Lacson

Lump sum

Evacuation centers

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