“Budget for the people, not for corruption and political patronage”

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) strongly denounces the 2025 national budget version approved by the Bicameral Conference Committee, which prioritizes political pork and discretionary funds over the welfare of Filipinos. The bicameral conference committee’s approved budget highlights misplaced priorities that exacerbate the suffering of poor sectors often deprived of basic social services.

KMP said the Bicam-approved national budget clearly prioritizing political interests over essential social services, calling it a blatant tool for electioneering and corruption. “Farmers and the Filipino people are being shortchanged while politicians hoard funds for their own interests,” according to KMP chairperson and Makabayan senatorial candidate Danilo Ramos.

“Habang naghihirap ang taumbayan, lalo pang pinapabayaan ang edukasyon, pampublikong kalusugan, at iba pang serbisyong panlipunan. Nakakapagngitngit na limpak ang pondo para sa Confidential and Intelligence Funds at iba pang discretionary funds na madaling maabuso.”

The following cuts to critical social services were confirmed:

– Department of Education (DepEd): ₱16.5 billion slashed.

– Commission on Higher Education (CHED): ₱27.3 billion slashed.

– Department of Health (DOH): ₱35.1 billion slashed.

– Calamity Fund: Reduced by ₱500 million despite recurring disasters.

Meanwhile, zero budget was allocated for PhilHealth subsidies under the Universal Health Care Act, effectively shifting the financial burden to members, including ordinary workers who can barely afford rising costs of healthcare.

In stark contrast, allocations for discretionary funds remain bloated:

– Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIFs): ₱4 billion retained for the Office of the President directly under Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

– Unprogrammed Funds: Increased by ₱373 billion, raising concerns over transparency and accountability.

– DPWH Infrastructure Budget: Swelled to a staggering ₱1.114 trillion, notorious for being a hotbed of bureaucratic corruption and kickbacks.

KMP also strongly criticized the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), reinstated with ₱26 billion despite being earlier struck out by the Senate due to issues of vulnerability to corruption and political patronage.

The controversial AKAP Program is a pet project of presidential cousin and House Speaker Martin Romualdez and is being implemented through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Legislators, particularly House members, are given the discretion to identify beneficiaries, raising concerns about vote-buying in the 2025 elections.

“Ang AKAP ay pork barrel sa tabing ng ayuda. Bulnerable itong gamitin para sa political patronage at talamak na vote-buying sa halalang 2025,” Ramos stressed.

The KMP called on the public to hold the Marcos Jr government accountable and demand a genuinely pro-people budget. The national budget must focus on uplifting farmers and the poor through genuine agrarian reform, employment generation, ensuring food security, and national industrialization. “Enough of budgets that only serve the powerful few. Badyet para sa taumbayan, hindi para sa korapsyon at bulsa ng iilan,” Ramos concluded.” ###