Manila: Agusan del Norte Lone District Representative Dale Corvera has introduced House Bill No. 4018, aiming to mandate a more equitable regional share in national spending. This initiative comes as the House of Representatives deliberates on the proposed PHP6.793 trillion national budget for 2026.

According to Philippines News Agency, the bill, titled ‘An Act Providing For The Equitable Regional Share From The National Budget To Ensure Its Responsiveness From Grassroots Realities To Accelerate Socio-Economic Development,’ seeks to ensure that at least 50 percent of the executive branch’s proposed budget includes programs and projects endorsed by Regional Development Councils (RDCs). These councils, comprising local chief executives, regional heads of national government agencies, and private sector representatives, are the highest policy-making bodies at the regional level.

Corvera emphasized the role of RDCs in coordinating local initiatives with national goals and reviewing regional budget proposals before their submission to central offices for inclusion in the Department of Budget and Management’s National Expenditure Program (NEP). However, he noted that less than 30 percent of RDC-endorsed initiatives currently make it into the NEP submitted to Congress.

In highlighting the disparities, Corvera pointed out that the proposed 2026 National Budget allocates only 15.4 percent of the total national government budget to Mindanao, which comprises six regions, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). This allocation amounts to just PHP1.042 trillion, leaving uncertainties about the funding specifically designated for RDC-endorsed programs and projects.

The proposed legislation aims to address these disparities by requiring regional allocations to take into account socio-economic indicators, such as population growth, employment generation, economic development, and poverty incidence. Corvera stated that the bill is intended to make the national budget more responsive to grassroots realities and accelerate inclusive development across all regions.

Corvera, who previously served as an RDC chair in Caraga, currently holds the position of vice chair of the House Committee on Appropriations.