By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

“Hindi tayo papayag na mapunta sa kurakot ang salaping pinaghirapan ng bawat Pilipino.”

After undergoing thorough deliberations at a livestreamed bicameral conference in December, the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) finally reached the President’s desk after it was earlier ratified by the Senate and the House of Representatives days before 2025 drew to a close.

The P6.793 trillion in funds will fortify the financial resources of the government’s operations and various programs throughout the year.

At the signing of the 2026 national budget on Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hailed the budget’s focus on the four key priorities of the administration: education, health, agriculture and social services.

Marcos Jr. cited such as proof of the government’s seriousness on instituting sweeping reforms to ensure transparency and accountability in managing public funds vis-à-vis acting on the need for the country’s medium and long-term development.

Towards a knowledge-driven nation

In his various engagements, the President repeatedly expressed his desire to improve the lives of learners and educators across the country, which he intends to bring into fruition using the P1.345 trillion allocated to the education sector.

These funds, approximately P400 billion higher than in 2025, is equivalent to 4.36% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), paving the way for the creation of 32,916 teaching and 32,268 non-teaching plantilla positions in public schools.

Portions of these financial resources would also be utilized in the construction of classrooms and distribution of books and other school equipment among public educational institutions, especially in the far-flung areas across the archipelago.

On services that resonate with the masses

Healthcare likewise remains among the administration’s chief priorities, with P448.125 billion allocated towards boosting this sector’s capacity to serve the people through various initiatives.

These include the Department of Health’s (DOH) Universal Health Care Fund for Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) and PhilHealth’s Yaman ng Kalusugan (YAKAP) Program, as well as interventions for various diseases and hiring of additional medical personnel.

Agriculture ranks third among the sectors that were allocated a significant chunk of the budget, with P297.102 billion dedicated towards ensuring food security, improving the supply chain, and boosting the income of farmers and fisherfolk.

These funds would also cover the construction of farm-to-market roads under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture (D.A.), which would help bring produce closer to marketplaces and consumers, thus empowering rural economies.

To improve the quality of life of the Filipino people, reduce vulnerabilities, protect the welfare of all sectors, and advance human capital development, the social services sector will be provided with P270.189 billion for 2026.

Other provisions of the 2026 national budget

Recognizing the need to scale down the government’s financial resources down to the smallest units of governance, the 2026 GAA provides a healthy increase in the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).

This extra financial headroom provides leeway for local government units (LGUs) to carry out their initiatives that supplement those of the administration, but tailored to serve their constituents.

The budget, moreover, honors the hard work and sacrifices of the country’s military and uniformed personnel (MUP), who are set to benefit from an uptick in base pay and subsistence allowance following the issuance of Executive Order No. 107 in December 2025.

The Chief Executive meanwhile exercised his veto powers by scrapping almost P92.5 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, which he touts as an exercise of fiscal responsibility cognizant with the citizenry’s call to ensure that safeguards are in place to promote responsible spending of public funds.

He concluded in his remarks, “Sa ating mga kababayan, dama po namin ang inyong agam-agam at pangamba sa nakaraang budget.”

“Kaisa ninyo ako sa pagnanais na masigurong ang bawat pisong buwis ay mapupunta sa tamang proyekto at sa tunay na pangangailangan ng ating taumbayan.”

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