A monumental task reached its penultimate stage Sunday as Philippine lawmakers finalized the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026. The bicameral committee report was signed, paving the way for ratification by the Senate and House on Monday – a critical step in determining the nation’s financial course.
This budget isn’t simply a collection of numbers; it represents a commitment to transparency, according to Nueva Ecija Representative Mikaela Angela Suansing, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. She hailed the process as the “first open bicam in history,” a significant departure from previous years and a direct response to public demand for accountability.
The finalized 4,300-page document, meticulously proofread five times by congressional staff, will soon be available for public scrutiny. Both the House and Senate have pledged to upload the reconciled version, along with all supporting annexes, to their respective transparency portals, ensuring unprecedented access to the details of national spending.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, head of the Senate Finance Committee, emphasized the budget’s core priorities: education, health, and agriculture. These sectors are viewed as foundational to the country’s long-term development, receiving focused attention in the allocation of resources.
While the aim was for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to sign the budget by December 29th, a brief delay emerged due to discussions surrounding the Department of Public Works and Highway’s allocation. This resulted in a potential reenactment of the 2025 budget for a few days in January.
Despite the slight postponement, experts believe the economic impact will be minimal. The holiday season provides a natural buffer, and the President requires ample time for a thorough review of the extensive document. A week-long study period is considered reasonable and necessary.
However, the delay has reignited concerns about governance and transparency. The 2025 budget faced intense scrutiny over opaque allocations and questionable insertions, prompting calls for greater accountability in the budgeting process.
Political science professor Ederson Tapia suggests that a short reenactment is more of an inconvenience than a crisis, provided it doesn’t become a pattern. Predictability in budgeting is key for effective planning and execution by government agencies.
Transparency advocates, like Joy Aceron of G-Watch, remain cautious. They point to the controversies surrounding the 2025 budget and warn that even a brief reenactment risks perpetuating a cycle of questionable spending. Aceron stresses the need for vigilant monitoring of the Executive’s review to prevent partisan realignments.
The coming days are crucial. As the budget heads to the President’s desk, the nation watches, hoping for a swift and decisive approval that will solidify a path towards transparent, accountable, and impactful national spending for 2026.
