DBM backs regional councils’ authority to approve projects proposed for 2027 budget

GOVERNMENT agencies proposing projects for the 2027 budget will be required to obtain approval from Regional Development Councils (RDCs), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said, citing the need to avoid spending not aligned with administration priorities.

“We will be strict,” Acting Budget Secretary Rolando U. Toledo said in a statement on Monday in the runup to preparing the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

“Lists of infrastructure proposals should not keep changing, and they must be endorsed by the RDCs. May malinaw tayong proseso (We have a clear process),” he said.

According to the memorandum published on Jan. 6, priority programs and projects in the regions must secure RDC endorsement, reinforcing coordination among national agencies, regional offices, and LGUs.

The installed safeguards followed the DBM receiving flak for not flagging duplicate and ghost projects in the NEP 2026 after an investigation into corruption in flood control projects.

The RDC endorsement will address long-standing concerns on misaligned projects, Mr. Toledo said.

“We avoid situations where LGUs are suddenly surprised projects are handed down to them that they don’t know about, didn’t endorse, and don’t really need,” he said.

At the same time, the DBM said the only programs and projects with “clear implementation readiness and strong track records” will be considered for inclusion in the proposed budget.

“This is how we ensure that the national budget truly serves the people,” Mr. Toledo said, adding that spending items must be “disciplined, inclusive, and anchored on the realities of communities on the ground.”

Last year, the DBM received P11-trillion budget worth of proposals from government agencies for funding from the 2026 budget, up from the P9.2 trillion a year earlier. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante