The Senate approved on third and final reading the proposed P6.793 trillion national budget for 2026 on Tuesday, 9 December, paving the way for bicameral deliberations this week.

Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian sponsored the passage of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) before the plenary. The bill garnered 17 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstentions.

Gatchalian said the adjustments “realign funding to cover the costs of restoring the P52.13-billion reduction so that project costs can be properly funded, and delays can be avoided.”

He earlier emphasized that the chamber’s amendments were crafted to ensure proper funding for critical programs and prevent implementation delays.

Gatchalian said the Senate realigned funds to restore P52.13 billion in reductions earlier reflected in the House version, noting: “We realigned funding to cover the costs of restoring the P52.13-billion reduction so that project costs can be properly funded, and delays can be avoided.”

Education gets biggest share

In his sponsorship speech, Gatchalian highlighted major revisions to the budget, starting with education, which remains the top priority at 4.5% of GDP amounting to P1.37 trillion—or P91.24 billion higher than the House version.

Key allocations include P65.9 billion for classroom construction, funding more than 24,000 new classrooms; P28.6 billion for the DepEd School-Based Feeding Program, ensuring 200 feeding days for 4.8 million learners, with P2.9 billion transferred to the Philippine Carabao Center and National Dairy Authority to source milk locally; P139.04 billion for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), addressing limited carrying capacity that previously left an estimated 168,000 qualified students unable to enroll; and P1 billion for the Local Government Support Fund to assist 4th- and 5th-class municipalities, including the conversion of over 3,000 day care centers into child development centers.

Health sector strengthened

The Senate version also invests heavily in health, particularly in expanding Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) wherein P62.66 billion allocated for ZBB in DOH-retained hospitals, up from P53.3 billion in the House bill; P1 billion for pilot ZBB implementation in select local government hospitals; and an additional P6.9 billion to bolster four specialty hospitals—the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, and Lung Center of the Philippines.

“These increases ensure more Filipinos can receive medical care without out-of-pocket expenses,” Gatchalian said, crediting Vice Chair Sen. Pia Cayetano for the recommendations.

Disaster recovery, infra adjustments

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund receives a net increase of P14.82 billion, aimed at supporting shelter, resettlement, agriculture recovery, and restoration of education and health services in calamity-hit areas.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways’ budget stands at P570.48 billion—a P53.99 billion lower than the House version. The reduction reflects updated costing based on new construction material price data and regional adjustment factors submitted by the DPWH.

To prevent ghost projects, all infrastructure proposals must now include station numbers and specific geographic coordinates.

“As an added safeguard against ghost projects, all infrastructure projects must now have station numbers and specific coordinates,” Gatchalian said, 

Gatchalian thanked his colleagues who engaged in extensive interpellations, noting that the chamber’s work aimed to restore public trust.

“Nagsimula tayong maghanda para sa badyet ng susunod na taon sa gitna (We began preparing this budget amid intense scrutiny of flood control projects),” he said. 

“Let this be the start not just of reform, but of restoring every Filipino’s trust in the law, in government, and in its leaders.”

The approved Senate version will now be harmonized with the House of Representatives’ version during bicameral deliberations, with both chambers aiming to pass the final 2026 budget before the end of the year.