Manila: Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. stated on Saturday that changes proposed by lawmakers to the annual national budget should be regarded as Constitutional amendments rather than automatically being labeled as insertions. In a news forum in Quezon City, Abante emphasized that these changes align with what the Constitution dictates.

According to Philippines News Agency, Abante highlighted that Congress's role is to deliberate and enact, but not to appropriate funds. The appropriations, once deliberated upon, go to the executive branch, which is responsible for implementing them. This clarification comes as the House of Representatives prepares to deliberate the proposed PHP7.2 trillion national budget for 2027 amid controversies over past budget insertions related to anomalous flood control projects.

Abante further clarified the distinction between proposing necessary projects for a congressional district and controlling their implementation after funding approval. Using his district as an example, he stated that while he can propose certain appropriations, he neither interferes with the bidding process nor controls the execution of projects. He stressed that it is not the role of a Congressman to meddle with these processes.

He reiterated that Congress's constitutional authority over the budget is a responsibility exercised for the taxpayers, whose money funds government programs and projects. This authority enables Congress to propose but not to own the appropriations.