00:01Senate Finance Committee Chairperson J.V. Ejercito flagged significant cuts to preventive health programs and infrastructure projects in the P7
00:08.2 trillion-peso-2027 General Appropriations Bill.
00:12He notes reductions reach billions of pesos in the House-approved version.
00:16Ejercito says the House version of the budget bill had major changes compared to the P7.27 National Expenditure Program.
00:22This includes a P130 billion-peso reduction in foreign-assisted projects, a P9.5 billion-peso cut in calamity funds,
00:29and billions of pesos in reductions to health programs.
00:32The major changes include a P4 billion-peso reduction in the Department of Health's Immunization Program and a P4.5
00:39billion-peso cut in the DOH Health Facilities Enhancement Program.
00:42He also cited a P2.6 billion-peso reduction in right-of-way funding and a P4.6 billion-peso
00:48cut in funding for flood mitigation structures within major river basins.
00:52Ejercito says this is a puzzle for me because one of the key factors of universal healthcare is strengthening preventive
00:58care, yet that is what they reduced.
