STILL TOO SMALL: Sandro defends P4.74-B budget

Rep. Sandro Marcos on Friday defended the P4.74-billion allocation for Ilocos Norte’s first district in the House version of the proposed 2027 national budget, insisting it was insufficient to address the district’s longstanding development needs despite the criticism over the sharp increase.

The allocation has drawn scrutiny after the House raised the district’s proposed budget from P369.4 million

under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to P4.74 billion in the House General Appropriations Bill (HGAB), an increase of P4.38 billion.

The contrast is stark: while Ilocos Norte’s first district has received P4.74 billion in the House version of the proposed 2027 budget, the three district engineering offices serving Davao City received a combined P49.4 million.

The Ilocos Norte first district had received P3.18 billion in Department of Public Works and Highways infrastructure funding under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, further raising questions over the concentration of public works funding.

Speaking during visits to barangays in Laoag City, Marcos asked why he should support reducing the funding for his own district, arguing that Ilocos Norte had long been shortchanged in the allocation of national government resources.

“What kind of congressman would I be if I allowed my province’s budget to be reduced?” he asked.

Marcos maintained that the higher allocation was not excessive, citing a backlog of infrastructure and development projects awaiting funding.

“To those saying that the budget we fought for for Ilocos Norte this year is too big, I want to tell them that it is still too small,” he said.

He said the province’s relatively small population had historically limited the attention and resources it received from the national government, adding that the current administration presented an opportunity to address the longstanding development needs.

Marcos said his father, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., had instructed him to ensure that Ilocos Norte would receive greater attention during his administration, particularly in addressing the requests and priorities of its constituents.

He said Laoag City Mayor Bryan Alcid had also expressed concern that the proposed funding would cover only a portion of the city’s priority projects.

Among the projects Marcos sought funding for are the installation of streetlights across Laoag, the construction of multipurpose buildings, the completion of covered courts, and continued financial assistance for residents.

He vowed to keep pushing for projects and assistance amid economic challenges, including rising fuel prices, inflation, and the threat of El Niño.

“We cannot control what is happening in our country or in the rest of the world. What we can control is ensuring that assistance continues to reach the people of Laoag City,” he said.

Marcos pledged to continue fighting for his constituents’ interests in Congress and before the national government.

“As long as I am here as the representative of the First District, I will continue fighting for all of you. I promise not to betray the trust and support you have given me,” he said.