The Senate assured the public that it remains on track with its timeline to pass the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), despite postponing the scheduled second reading on Wednesday.

Senators have raised numerous amendments since plenary deliberations began on Tuesday, 2 December, for the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget. 

“We have to be transparent. We cannot pass anything without the final print. We are working overtime tomorrow to avoid delays,” Majority Leader Senator Miguel Zubiri said.

Senators targeted 3 December for the 2nd reading of the 2026 GAB and 9 December for the 3rd reading.

Both Houses of Congress are aiming to ratify the 2026 national budget by 17 December and submit it to the Office of the President on the 29th of this month.

Reenacted budget not an option

Senate Finance Committee chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, said several items and suggestions from senators remain missing in the 2026 GAB.

“We have more than enough days. We are still on target. We are eyeing to start the third reading on Tuesday (9 December). For the bicam, we are expecting a tougher debate, that’s the process,” he said in Filipino, but assured that a reenacted budget is impossible at this time.

“Of course, everyone who submitted amendments wants them to be accommodated. But it is subject to fiscal space,” he said.

Zubiri said this year’s budget deliberations are the most transparent, unlike before, when amendments were handed to the committee chairperson, who made controversial “insertions.”

“These are no longer called insertions.  These are proper amendments made on the plenary floor, approved by the body, and witnessed by the media and civil society. Each senator’s amendments can be viewed on the Senate website,” Zubiri said.

Various agencies received budget amendments from Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson during plenary deliberations on the proposed 2026 GAB, which started Tuesday.

Sotto sought P6 million in tweaks to the Department of Education’s proposed budget; P600 million for various amendments to Department of Health projects; and P185 million for the Commission on Higher Education.