SEN. Joel Villanueva sought funds for the implementation of laws amid reports that over 200 laws, some of which have been enacted in the past 30 years, were not properly funded.
The senator cited a 2023 Department of Budget and Management (DBM) report that over 200 laws suffer from “funding deficiencies, hindering their effective implementation.”
According to the DBM’s Fiscal Planning and Reforms Bureau, the funding deficiency for at least 46 laws has reached P554.5 billion. Meanwhile, the remaining 159 unfunded laws lack a specified budgetary requirement.
Senator Joel Villanueva
Among the laws identified with funding deficiencies include the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Act, which remains underfunded despite its critical role in modernizing the AFP, Villanueva said.
“As lawmakers, we are duty-bound to pass laws that improve the lives of Filipinos. However, for these laws to truly make an impact, we need to ensure that there is enough funding to implement them,” he said.
“We need to ensure that all passed legislation is properly financed — not just in the short term, but sustainably,” Villanueva said.
“It is crucial that the DBM take a more proactive role at the committee level of legislative deliberations, providing early recommendations and conducting financial impact assessments to evaluate the budgetary needs of proposed bills before they are signed into law,” he added.
Villanueva called on the executive and legislative branches to work together in providing “timely feedback and financial projections for bills with funding implications.”
He also called for the establishment of clear protocols for assessing and addressing funding deficiencies as part of the budget preparation process.
“Legislation should not be a mere exercise in passing laws; it must be a commitment to action and change,” the senator said. “We need a systematic approach to ensure that the necessary funding is allocated to implement these laws, especially those that address critical issues in the economy, security and social services.”
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