THE House of Representatives will formally receive the proposed P7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for fiscal year 2027 on Tuesday, August 11, marking the beginning of congressional deliberations on the government’s spending plan for next year as the chamber vows to further strengthen safeguards protecting the integrity of the national budget.
The House Committee on Appropriations chairperson, Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing, said the turnover ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at Romualdez Hall in the House of Representatives.
The Department of Budget and Management will transmit the NEP, which details the proposed funding for government departments, programs, and projects. It will serve as the basis for the General Appropriations bill that Congress must examine and approve before the start of 2027.
The proposed budget is equivalent to 21.7 percent of the country’s projected gross domestic product and is about 6 percent higher than the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026.
Budget officials earlier said the spending plan underwent one of the government’s most rigorous reviews in recent years. The evaluation sought to eliminate redundant or poorly designed expenditures, strengthen safeguards against corruption and ensure that public funds are directed toward programs with clear and measurable benefits.
Following the turnover, the House Committee on Appropriations is expected to begin reviewing the funding proposals of national government agencies. Department officials will be called to explain their requested allocations and demonstrate how their programs support economic growth, employment, social services, and national development.
The House’s examination of the NEP will be a critical stage in determining how the government balances development priorities with fiscal discipline and accountability.
The proposed budget must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the president before it becomes the General Appropriations Act for 2027.
Earlier, Speaker Faustino G. Dy III said that lawmakers would build on the reforms and transparency measures introduced last year to ensure that the spending plan is responsive, accountable and focused on the needs of the Filipino people.
Dy said the House was ready to fulfill its constitutional duty to scrutinize the P7.2-trillion NEP.
Dy said public consultations conducted through the newly launched LegisHear program would complement the budget process by helping lawmakers better understand the priorities and concerns of communities nationwide before government appropriations are finalized.
‘I believe we will introduce even stronger safeguards to ensure that the 2027 budget we pass is properly prepared and implemented,’ he added.
Dy said the House remained committed to preserving the reforms introduced by the chamber to strengthen transparency and accountability throughout the appropriations process.
He added that lawmakers would continue improving safeguards designed to protect the integrity of the national budget.
During the 2026 budget deliberations, the House has pursued several budget reforms aimed at making the appropriations process more open and accountable. These include the creation of the Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee and the livestreaming of bicameral conference committee deliberations on the national budget.