P6.7 trillion 2026 proposed national budget reaches Senate 

Senator Win Gatchalian has formally sponsored House Bill 4058, or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2026, proposing a P6.793-trillion national budget for the coming fiscal year.

In his sponsorship speech before the Senate plenary on Wednesday night, Gatchalian described the proposed budget as “more than a purse,” calling it “the single-most important reflection of the nation’s priorities.”

“These priorities must always embody the aspirations of our people,” he said. “The 2026 budget is 7.4 percent higher than last year’s, or about P467 billion more.”

According to Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, the spending plan was crafted in alignment with the President’s Philippine Development Plan and grounded on the macroeconomic assumptions of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).

“Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, we cannot change the past. But we can shape and reclaim our future with clarity, conviction, and determination,” he emphasized.

Gatchalian underscored that the GAA is not only a financial document but also an instrument for national development and a pledge to restore public trust in government.

“May it remind us that progress without integrity is hollow, and integrity without progress is an unfulfilled promise,” he said.

“Genuine, principled governance demands no less. When we were entrusted with public office, we all swore to serve the Constitution, this republic, and its people. Let us work together as one government and prove that oath true,” he added. 

The proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 is equivalent to 22 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and represents a 7.4 percent increase from the P6.326-trillion budget enacted for 2025.

The spending bill will go through plenary deliberations and bicameral discussions in the coming weeks before its expected ratification later this year.

Gatchalian said they are targeting to complete the marathon debates within 10 days.

“Monday to Friday at 1 o’clock until we want. Ten days. Hopefully, we’ll be able to finish it in ten days,” Gatchalian told reporters in a chance interview. 

The senator said that proposed individual amendments from his colleagues must be formally submitted to the Senate Committee on Finance for review.

Gatchalian explained the Senate panel will study each lawmaker’s amendments to determine if these require funding and if there’s fiscal space. 

“After that, we will publish all of it, but only for those who have been accepted, as not everything will be accepted,” he added.

He also noted that while the Senate may adjust certain allocations, the chamber is still considering whether to pass a budget slightly lower than the Palace-endorsed proposal.

“We’re trying to pass a budget that is lower. However, we’re also considering using the fund for other purposes. But we’re trying. We’re still evaluating if that is a wise decision or not,” he said. 

In his budget message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the 2026 spending plan is anchored on the theme “Agenda for Prosperity: Nurturing Future-Ready Generations to Achieve the Full Potential of the Nation.”