Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday moved to bring urgent economic reforms proposed by the Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth (RISE) Ad Hoc Committee into the 2027 national budget by requiring the panel to submit initial recommendations before Congress ratifies the spending law.
“If the committee’s recommendations can help shape the FY 2027 national budget, its preliminary findings must reach the Senate before the budget is finalized,” he said in his co-sponsorship speech on September 1, 2026.
The RISE Committee was modeled after the Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee, which Cayetano initiated to help the government prepare a coordinated response to emerging crises.
Cayetano proposed an interim report that would allow lawmakers to consider the committee’s preliminary recommendations as they deliberate on the FY 2027 General Appropriations Act.
A final and comprehensive report would follow before the adjournment sine die of the Second Regular Session unless the Senate grants an extension.
Cayetano said the committee’s hearings must result in “concrete legislation, responsible budget decisions, and policies that businesses, workers, and Filipino families can rely on.”
“The government must learn to anticipate problems, not merely react when Filipino families are already suffering,” he said.
Cayetano co-authored Proposed Senate Resolution No. 618 with Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri to create the RISE Ad Hoc Committee amid the country’s economic slowdown and global developments affecting investments, businesses, workers, and consumers.
The Minority Leader proposed directing the panel to pursue long-term legislative reforms and sustainable policy interventions instead of temporary or “band-aid” measures, while taking into account the country’s fiscal limitations.
He noted that the national deficit and government debt continue to rise, while interest payments consume a considerable portion of the national budget, requiring proposed assistance for households and businesses to be weighed against its impact on government finances.
“These conditions should not prevent the government from helping households and businesses, but every proposal must be carefully weighed against its cost, revenue implications, and long-term effect on our fiscal health,” Cayetano said.
“We cannot solve today’s difficulties by simply passing the cost to the next generation,” he added.
Under the proposal, the RISE Committee will take a whole-of-government approach to strengthening investments, protecting workers and consumers, preserving macroeconomic stability, and promoting inclusive growth, while contributing to the creation of quality and sustainable jobs and advancing the pursuit of a living wage for Filipino workers.
“Hindi lamang natin layuning makaahon sa kasalukuyang paghina ng ekonomiya. We must transform the nation by building a country that is better prepared for future challenges and capable of creating lasting opportunities for every Filipino,” Cayetano said.
Isinusulong ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano na maisama sa 2027 national budget ang mga agarang reporma sa ekonomiya na inirekomenda ng Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth (RISE) Ad Hoc Committee.
Sa kanyang co-sponsorship speech nitong September 1, iminungkahi ni Cayetano na obligahin ang komite na maghain muna ng mga paunang rekomendasyon bago tuluyang pagtibayin ng Kongreso ang 2027 national budget.
“If the committee’s recommendations can help shape the FY 2027 national budget, its preliminary findings must reach the Senate before the budget is finalized,” wika niya.
Ang RISE Committee ay ibinatay sa Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee na unang isinulong ni Cayetano upang matulungan ang gobyerno na magkaroon ng koordinadong tugon sa mga umuusbong na krisis.
Sa ilalim ng panukala ng minority leader, maghahain ang RISE Committee ng interim report upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga mambabatas na isaalang-alang ang mga paunang rekomendasyon nito habang tinatalakay ang FY 2027 General Appropriations Act.
Susundan ito ng isang pinal at komprehensibong ulat bago ang sine die adjournment ng Second Regular Session, maliban na lamang kung pahihintulutan ng Senado ang pagpapalawig sa mandato ng komite.
Binigyang diin ni Cayetano na dapat mauwi sa konkretong aksyon ang mga pagdinig ng komite, kabilang ang mga bagong batas, responsableng desisyon sa badyet at mga polisiya na mapagkakatiwalaan ng mga negosyo, manggagawa at pamilyang Pilipino.
“The government must learn to anticipate problems, not merely react when Filipino families are already suffering,” wika niya.
Kapwa may-akda si Cayetano nina Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian at Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri sa Proposed Senate Resolution No. 618 na naglalayong likhain ang RISE Ad Hoc Committee.
Itinatag ang komite sa gitna ng paghina ng ekonomiya at mga pandaigdigang kaganapan na may epekto sa investments, negosyo, trabaho at mga consumer sa bansa.
Iminungkahi rin ni Cayetano na ituon ng RISE Committee ang trabaho nito sa mga pangmatagalang repormang pambatas at sustainable policy interventions sa halip na mga pansamantala o “band-aid” na solusyon, habang isinasaalang-alang ang limitasyon ng pondo ng gobyerno.
Ayon kay Cayetano, patuloy na tumataas ang national deficit at utang ng gobyerno, habang malaking bahagi ng pambansang pondo ang napupunta sa interest payments.
Dahil dito, kailangan aniyang timbangin nang mabuti ang anumang tulong na ipatutupad para sa mga pamilya at negosyo, lalo na ang magiging epekto nito sa pananalapi ng gobyerno.
“These conditions should not prevent the government from helping households and businesses, but every proposal must be carefully weighed against its cost, revenue implications, and long-term effect on our fiscal health,” wika ni Cayetano.
“We cannot solve today’s difficulties by simply passing the cost to the next generation,” dagdag niya.
Sa ilalim ng panukala, magkakaroon ng whole-of-government approach ang RISE Committee para palakasin ang investments, protektahan ang mga manggagawa at consumers, mapanatili ang macroeconomic stability at isulong ang inclusive growth.
Layunin din nitong makatulong sa paglikha ng quality at sustainable jobs at isulong ang pagkakaroon ng living wage para sa mga manggagawang Pilipino.
“Hindi lamang natin layuning makaahon sa kasalukuyang paghina ng ekonomiya. We must transform the nation by building a country that is better prepared for future challenges and capable of creating lasting opportunities for every Filipino,” wika ni Cayetano.
