ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio on Monday called for the proposed P107.4 billion allocation for flood control projects in the 2027 national budget to be redirected to classroom construction, citing unresolved anomalies involving infrastructure projects.

During the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), Tinio questioned why the government continued to allocate billions of pesos for flood control despite what he described as a lack of substantial changes in how projects are identified and funded.

“It is clear to this representation that there has been no substantial changes in their process of identifying or funding flood control projects. Therefore, it should not be re-integrated in the current budget,” Tinio said.

“The funding should be allocated to classrooms instead of flood control. The targeted construction of classrooms in your budget for 2027 is 700,” he added.

Tinio said the country currently faces a shortage of about 160,000 classrooms.

While the Department of Education remains among the biggest recipients of funding under the proposed budget, the NEP targets the construction of only 700 new classrooms in 2027, down from the 4,869 target for 2026.

The NEP, however, also lists 5,887 classroom construction projects expected to remain ongoing next year.

Tinio questioned whether President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could fulfill his administration’s commitment to build 40,000 classrooms before the end of his term under the proposed targets.

“How can the Marcos administration reach its promised 40,000 classrooms before his term ends if his target for the upcoming year is only 700?” he asked.

‘New year, same schemes’

Tinio also raised concerns over what he described as the possible return of budget insertions coursed through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), which he characterized as “LGU pork.”

He recalled that the President initially proposed P111.5 billion for the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund and P198 billion for the Pension and Gratuity Fund in the previous budget cycle.

During bicameral deliberations, P43.22 billion was cut from the two funds and reallocated to the LGSF before being shifted to unprogrammed appropriations. Marcos eventually vetoed the allocations before signing the 2026 General Appropriations Act.

Tinio also raised the issue of alleged “leadership funds” previously mentioned by former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan during proceedings before the Sandiganbayan.

He asked Budget Secretary Kim Robert De Leon whether the P69.4 billion flood control allocation under the Department of Public Works and Highways constituted the alleged leadership funds.

De Leon denied that the allocation was intended for such a purpose.