DEPDev eyes P17.3-B 2027 budget led by PSA’s household census, National ID

CHIEF ECONOMIST. Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. DEPDev Much of the increase goes to PSA, with P5.06 billion for a nationwide household census and P2.37 billion for the National ID, while PPP Center funding is halved MANILA, Philippines – The Marcos administration is proposing a P17.27-billion spending program for the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) and its attached agencies in 2027, nearly 25% higher than the 2026 budget. Of the P17.27-billion spending program, P16.92 billion consists of new appropriations that Congress is being asked to approve, while another P346.41 million comes from automatic appropriations, including retirement and life insurance premiums and special accounts. The bulk of the increase would go to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), while the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center would see one of the steepest reductions. The proposed total appropriations of DEPDev and its attached agencies are: Philippine Statistics Authority: P13.03 billion, up 46.3% from P8.91 billion in 2026 DEPDev Office of the Secretary: P2.72 billion, down 3.2% from P2.81 billion Commission on Population and Development: P603.10 million, down 15.7% from P715.54 million Public-Private Partnership Center: P586.38 million, down 50.4% from P1.18 billion Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute: P163.45 million, up 1.1% from P161.64 million Tariff Commission: P118.20 million, down 11.7% from P133.81 million Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency: P38.29 million, down 6.6% from P40.98 million PSA drives the increase The surge is concentrated in specific projects rather than the PSA’s recurring programs. Funding classified by the budget as locally funded projects nearly doubles to P8.46 billion in 2027 from P4.38 billion this year, while spending on its regular programs and operations rises only slightly to P4.58 billion from P4.53 billion. Much of the increase in the PSA’s budget is tied to the next round of the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS). The biggest item is P5.06 billion for the generation and compilation of community-based statistics, the budget line used for CBMS. This comes as the PSA prepares for the synchronized nationwide 2027 CBMS, a household-level data collection exercise conducted every three years under the Community-Based Monitoring System Act. The data are used by national and local governments for poverty analysis, identifying beneficiaries, allocating resources, and designing social and development programs. PSA offices have begun coordinating preparations with local government units (LGUs), with data collection projected to start in May 2027. Of the P5.06-billion allocation, the vast majority (P4.94 billion) goes to operating expenses, which can cover costs such as temporary field personnel, training, and other expenses involved in nationwide data collection. Another P121.77 million is set for capital outlays. Overall, the PSA’s National Statistics Development Program is proposed to receive P7.66 billion in 2027. The agency plans to conduct 34 surveys and censuses, up from 29 targeted this year, while raising its target for surveys and censuses completed within their prescribed timelines to 90% from 80%. Other notable statistical activities include P266.88 million for the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) and P277.74 million for the development and enhancement of statistical frames integrating geospatial information, although both are far smaller than the CBMS allocation. Meanwhile, the National ID gets another P2.37 billion allocated under the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) as a locally-funded project. For 2027, the PSA aims to maintain 500 fixed and LGU-based PhilSys centers and issue 15 million new physical National ID cards, up from a target of 9.32 million this year. The increased funding comes as the PSA continues to expand the use of the National ID beyond the physical card. As of June 30, more than 92.8 million Filipinos had already been issued National ID numbers with verifiable credentials, while 91.8 million could access their digital National ID through the eGov app, according to PSA officials. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading