In Zaldy Co’s letter to PBBM, he pointed to Senator Chiz Escudero doing this.
Who slashed the budgets for DepEd, PhilHealth, and DA in the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB)? Was it Senator Chiz Escudero?
In a seven-page confidential letter to President Bongbong Marcos in February 2025 from former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, he made accusations against Senator Chiz Escudero.
According to him, Escudero was the one behind the billions slashed from the budgets of the Department of Education (DepEd), the Philippine Health Insurance System (PhilHealth), and the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
Co sent the letter to the president “to provide clarity to a lot of baseless accusations” being thrown against the House of Representatives. Co was formerly the chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, and stated, “Due to DepEd’s low utilization rate and in a desire to increase the sources of funds during the bicam, SP Chiz cut P10 billion from the agency’s computerization program.”
Whether he meant to or not, Co’s revelations in the seven-page letter introduce a fresh angle to the simmering conflict over insertions between the House of Representatives and the Senate, coming at a time when the proposed 2026 national budget is still under deliberation.
Escudero was allegedly the one who cut PHP 10 billion from the DepEd’s computerization program, and another PHP 1.692-billion budget reduction for new teaching positions.
He was also the one who suggested that the PHP 74-billion subsidy for PhilHealth be scrapped. Co said Escudero also sought to slash the P106 billion in realigned projects under the DPWH’s District Engineering Offices (DEOs), along with the agency’s P16-billion errata. According to Co, the House rejected the proposed P106-billion reduction but agreed to the P16-billion cut after the former Senate president threatened to delay the budget approval.
Co further claimed that Escudero slashed half of the PHP 27.8 billion budget for the administration’s flagship projects. However, it was the House of Representatives that was blamed for this.
What can you say about this? Let us know in the comments!