By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On the heels of the House’s recent passage of the 2026 national budget on its third and final reading, the Palace addressed the concerns raised over the unprogrammed appropriations as well as some provisions under House Bill No. 4058 (General Appropriations Bill).
At the Malacañang press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro noted the safeguards in place to ensure that next year’s budget would be properly allocated and spent where it truly matters.
Castro told the media, “Sa palagay ko at sa tingin ng pamahalaan, at lalong-lalo na po ng DBM, sinasabi po natin ang budget, lalong-lalo na sa unprogrammed appropriations, ay kinakailangan po. Lalong-lalo na po ito, hindi po ba nagkakaroon po tayo ng sinasabing magkakaroon ng pag-deplete ng funds ng NDRRM [National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management] dahil sa maraming nagiging kalamidad sa ngayon.”
She emphasized, referring to the State Agricultural Guarantee and Insurance Protection (SAGIP) funds as the government’s emergency financial stockpile, “Kapag na-deplete ‘yan at naubos na po ang contingent funds, diyan na po kukuha sa unprogrammed appropriations mula sa SAGIP.”
Castro cited these clarifications on the functions of unprogrammed appropriations vis-à-vis providing reassurance that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will carefully look into the nuances of the 2026 national budget to avoid the repetition of lapses that snowballed into the flood control mess, which the Chief Executive unraveled in his 4th State of the Nation Address.
“Kung meron mang hindi nagtutugma sa nais ng administrasyon na ito, malamang po maive-veto ang anuman ‘yong dapat iveto.”
As of press time, the 2026 national budget is set to be transmitted to the Senate for approval before undergoing further deliberations at the Bicameral Conference Committee.
The proposed P6.793 trillion national budget, which is 7.4% higher compared to the P6.326 trillion in 2025 and accounts for 22% of the projected gross domestic product (GDP), is allocated among the 10 departments prioritized by the Marcos Jr. administration in line with the provisions stipulated under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.
These are as follows:
- Education (DepEd) – P928.5 billion
- Public Works (DPWH) – P881.3 billion
- Health (DOH and PhilHealth) – P320.5 billion
- Defense (DND) – P299.3 billion
- Interior and Local Government (DILG) – P287.5 billion
- Agriculture (D.A. and attached corporations, DAR) – P239.2 billion
- Social Welfare (DSWD and NCSC) – P227.0 billion
- Transportation (DOTr and attached corporations) – P198.6 billion
- Judiciary – P67.9 billion
- Labor and Employment (DOLE and DMW) – P55.2 billion
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