MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Tuesday called for greater transparency and accountability, as Congress prepares to deliberate on the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027.
In a statement, Pangilinan said the national budget should answer a fundamental question: Where will every peso go, and what concrete benefits will it bring to the people?
He said that Filipinos should feel the impact of the 2027 budget in their daily lives through lower prices of food and other basic goods, better employment opportunities, and higher incomes for workers, farmers, fisherfolk, and small entrepreneurs.
"The budget must not be impressive on paper alone. It must be more than a list of government expenditures," Pangilinan said.
"It must be grounded in realities we see every day because the true measure of its success is whether it eases the daily burden of our people—whether families have enough food on the table, whether parents can send their children to school, whether they can afford rent, electricity, water, and transportation, and whether illness no longer forces families into debt," he added.
Pangilinan said food security must remain at the heart of the government’s budget priorities, particularly as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on imports while improving the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk.
"The proposed allocation for agriculture and agrarian reform should translate into stronger domestic food production, higher and more stable incomes for our farmers and fisherfolk, and more affordable food for Filipino families," he said.
Beyond production, the senator called for sustained investments in irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, cold storage, transportation, and agricultural extension services.
These investments would help farmers and fisherfolk produce more efficiently, earn more, and bring their products to consumers at fair prices, he said.
