The proposed 2027 national budget cuts funding for school buildings by 64%, slashes the school-based feeding program by 55%, reduces textbooks and instructional materials by 66%, and completely zeroes out the human resources for health program—all while allocating ₱58 billion in discretionary presidential assistance to local governments with no development plan, Caloocan City 2nd District Representative Edgar “Egay” Erice said Tuesday.
Erice slammed the budget cuts in an interview on DZRH News program The Situation Report on September 8, enumerating a long list of specific cuts to education and health in the 2027 National Expenditure Program compared to 2026.
The lawmaker said the Senior High School Voucher Program has been completely zeroed out, the Government Assistance and Subsidies for Educational Service Contracting fund has been removed, and new school personnel positions have been cut by 25%.
“Government assistance sa subsidies for Senior High School Voucher Program, zero budget ngayon. Tapos yung School-Based Feeding Program para doon sa mga bata na ang daming malnourished, stunted, binawasan ng 55%. Tapos yung textbook and other instructional materials, nabawasan ng 66%,” Erice said.
In health, he said the zero balance billing fund for LGU hospitals has been completely removed, the Health Facilities Enhancement Program cut by 34%, hospital operations in Metro Manila DOH hospitals reduced by 10%, and health emergency preparedness and response slashed by 68%.
“Yung Human Resource for Health and Institutional Capacity Management, 100% inalis na ‘yun. Zero budget,” Erice said.
Erice said the funds cut from education and health appear to have been redirected to the PALGU, discretionary presidential assistance that he describes as a political tool rather than a development investment.
The lawmaker said he is urging the President and Congress to restore funding for education and health by reducing or eliminating the unplanned PALGU allocations, and is raising these concerns during ongoing budget hearings in the House of Representatives.
“Pinapakiusapan natin ang ating Pangulo at ang Kongreso na sana yung mga wala pa namang plano, huwag na muna nating pondohan yung PALGU, o kaya i-reduce at ilagay dito sa education at sa health,” Erice said.
“Ang sabi ko nga, this is a presidential pork. This is a budget for the 2028 national elections. This is a budget na lalong magpapatatag sa tawag sa atin, Ayuda Republic,” he said.
