The Marcos administration’s proposed 2027 national budget of ₱7.2 trillion was built on one governing idea: that the money Filipinos contribute to government must find its way back to them as real, tangible services, Budget Secretary Kim Robert De Leon said Saturday.
De Leon made the statement in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on September 5, as part of the DZRH SONA 2026 Series featuring the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
He said the budget’s official tagline, “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang,” reflects a governing philosophy rooted in President Marcos’ own experience as a local chief executive who has seen firsthand what communities at the grassroots level actually need.
“Ang 2027 budget ay talagang idinisenyo natin para maging isang people-centered budget. People-centered dahil pangunahin pa rin na pinaglaanan ng pondo ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos ang social services o yung mga programa at serbisyo na talagang abot sa tao, kinakailangan ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino,” De Leon said.
The President’s Budget chief said education, healthcare, social services, and agriculture occupy the largest share of the budget, programs the government knows Filipinos cannot do without, with the explicit goal of giving back to citizens what they have contributed in taxes.
“Layunin natin na talagang maibalik sa tao yung budget na inambagan naman nating lahat. Kasi lagi nating naririnig, tayo ay nag-c-contribute sa budget, ano yung ating makukuha pabalik?” De Leon said.
The Budget chief said economic and infrastructure investments follow closely behind social services in the budget’s priorities, because a strong economy also ultimately benefits the Filipino people.
De Leon said the President’s directive to the DBM is specific and unambiguous: “Ang direktiba sa atin ng ating Pangulo talaga, maparamdam sa ating mga kapwa Pilipino na itong budget ay para sa kanila, para sa ating mga kapwa Pilipino na dapat mag-benefit.”
He said the DBM’s own internal directive is equally clear: “Kami po sa DBM, napakalinaw ng direktiba po sa amin: siguraduhin na pag ito ay ni-release sa ating mga ahensya, talagang mai-de-deliver, mapo-procure nang tama, at wala tayong mga iregularidad na mae-encounter.”
De Leon said the ₱7.2 trillion represents only 21.7% of the country’s projected GDP for 2027, meaning the national budget is one part of a larger economy that includes private sector contributions and public-private partnerships.
“Yung 7.2 trillion ay bahagi lang nung ating Gross Domestic Product o GDP. Sa katotohanan, yung 7.2 trillion, 21.7% lang ‘yan nung ating inaasahang GDP for 2027. So ibig sabihin, merong kontribusyon yung private sector, public-private partnership dun sa kabuuang galaw ng ekonomiya,” De Leon said.
