Ejercito on budget mess: ‘Win some, lose some’
Metro Manila, Philippines - Amid the case filed before the Supreme Court questioning the 2025 national budget, Senator JV Ejercito admits he was not fully satisfied with the controversial bicameral conference committee report but said it had to be signed to fund priority programs.
“Win some, lose some,” Ejercito said in a DWIZ radio program on Saturday, Feb. 1.
“Hindi ibig sabihin na pumirma ka sa bicam budget ay masayang masaya ka. Maaaring masaya ako sa ibang bagay, hindi ako masaya sa iba. Kaya lang, ganoon talaga,” he added.
[Translation: It doesn't mean that just because you signed the bicam budget, you're completely happy. I may be happy with some things, but not with others. That's just how it is.]
Ejercito said, for instance, he was pleased to have secured funding for priority railway and infrastructure projects, which were only included under unprogrammed appropriations last year—meaning they could only be funded if there were excess government revenues or loans.
On the other hand, Ejercito noted that he opposed the removal of the government subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), as he is the author of the Universal Health Care Act.
“Can't have it all pero ganun pa man, tignan po na lang natin kung ano magiging outcome (You can't have it all, but still, let's just wait and see what the outcome will be),” Ejercito said.
He maintained that the budget went through the proper process in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, and six others have filed a Supreme Court petition challenging the constitutionality of the 2025 General Appropriations Act. Their main argument is that the bicam report, which reconciled the differences between the House and Senate versions, allegedly contained blank items.
Former Finance undersecretary Cielo Magno told NewsWatch Plus she is drafting another petition, focusing on the alleged constitutional violation of not prioritizing the education sector and the lack of subsidy for PhilHealth. This petition is expected to be filed this February.
