The politics of public budgeting and the struggle for a more equitable budget allocation for public transport modernization program in the Philippines
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
We unpack the politics of the budget process in the Philippines, from the viewpoint of an advocacy coalition, the Move As One Coalition (MAOC). We aim to understand and explain the discrepancy between the purported prioritization of the Public Utility Modernization Program (PUVMP) by the national government and the inadequate budget allocation it receives, compared to the substantially huge budgets earmarked for rail projects. Using a case study approach, we focus our in-depth analysis on the politics of the first two stages of the budget process – namely, budget preparation and authorization – since deliberation and actual decision-making are done in a significant manner in these phases. We show how the dominant politics in each phase, set by the budget-related institutional rules and furthered by rail lobby groups, leaves limited space for the advocacy coalition to shape and influence the process toward a more equitable budget allocation. Challenges notwithstanding, the coalition has created opportunities for civil society involvement and achieved significant wins. Our paper adds to existing research by directly connecting the budget politics with the topic of sustainability transition politics within the Global South context.
Recommended Citation
Sunio, V., Abante, K. I., & Golub, A. (2025). The politics of public budgeting and the struggle for a more equitable budget allocation for public transport modernization program in the Philippines. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2025.2515221 https://archium.ateneo.edu/
