House opens deliberations on P6.793-trillion 2026 budget

The House of Representatives has opened deliberations on the proposed Php 6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, vowing a more transparent and people-centered process that invites citizens to the table.

Lawmakers kicked off hearings on August 18 with top economic managers briefing the chamber’s appropriations committee on the spending plan submitted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), composed of Department of Budget and Management (DBM) secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Department of Finance (DOF) secretary Ralph Recto, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) governor Eli Remolona, presented the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to members of Congress.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez emphasized that the reforms this year aim to open the process wider than ever before. He pointed out that for the first time, citizen groups are officially participating in hearings and even the bicameral conference stage during this budget cycle.

“We ended the practice of the ‘small committee’. We welcomed civil society observers. Because the Filipino people deserve full transparency in how their hard-earned money is planned, allocated, and spent,” he emphasized.

Romualdez added that lawmakers intend to grill the proposed budget thoroughly, but with collaboration in mind. 

“We will scrutinize, we will question, we will deliberate thoroughly. But we will do so not as adversaries, but as allies united by a shared purpose,” he said, highlighting the ultimate goal of delivering a better, more dignified life for every Filipino.

Appropriations Committee Chair Mikaela Suansing also underscored that the deliberations will focus on making sure government spending reflects the sacrifices of taxpayers. 

“Every peso of this budget comes from the blood and sweat of Filipinos; that’s why your Congress will deliberate intently in the coming months to ensure that every peso will be allocated towards the betterment of the people,” she uttered.

Observers from groups such as Social Watch, CODE-NGO, Child Rights Network, and the People’s Budget Coalition joined Monday’s session, marking a new chapter in budget transparency. 

Lawmakers claimed that this action was a reaction to repeated demands for greater accountability following watchdog criticism of previous national budgets.

Social services would once again account for the greatest portion of the budget in 2026 (Php 2.314 trillion), with education accounting for the highest portion at Php 928.5 billion, followed by public works (Php 881.3 billion) and health (Php P320.5 billion).  

Agriculture (Php 239.2 billion), social welfare (Php 277.0 billion), and defense (Php P299.3 billion) are the other main appropriations.

Over the coming weeks, budget discussions are expected to continue. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) would be the first organizations to defend their allocations, followed by important departments and constitutional bodies. #