Senate vows to block unprogrammed funds in 2026 budget

National

THE Senate will not allow billions of pesos in lump-sum allocations under unprogrammed appropriations in the proposed 2026 national budget, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said.

Sotto revealed that Speaker Faustino Dy III earlier informed him about ₱80 billion in unprogrammed funds in the House-approved budget, but the Senate’s review showed the figure could reach as high as ₱200 billion.

The Senate leader said he would clarify the matter with Dy, but maintained that such allocations will not be allowed to pass.

“Whatever it is, whether ₱80 billion or the rumored ₱255 billion, we will not let it become unprogrammed funds just like that. For what purpose? A lump sum that huge is unacceptable,” Sotto said in a radio interview as per a report by Philstar.

The Senate chief explained that all appropriations must be properly programmed and lodged under the implementing agencies responsible for specific projects. He cited how, in previous years, funds for programs such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patientswere placed under unprogrammed allocations instead of being directed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Health.

Sotto emphasized that the Senate wants to limit unprogrammed appropriations only to foreign-assisted projects and ensure that every peso is accounted for. He said the Senate’s position will serve as its “beachhead” in the upcoming bicameral conference committee discussions on the 2026 budget.

To promote transparency, the Senate is also proposing a 20-percent across-the-board cut for Department of Public Works and Highways projects. The move aims to prevent overpricing and irregularities, issues that surfaced in recent Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.

Sotto added that lawmakers are studying the possibility of transferring certain infrastructure projects — such as hospitals and farm-to-market roads — directly to implementing agencies or even local governments for better monitoring and faster implementation. This adjustment, he said, could help ensure that resources reach the regions and are spent effectively.(Victoria Diana, USJ-R Comm Intern)