Bicam report on 2026 budget OK'd, ratification follows

Members of the bicameral conference committee from both the House of Representatives and the Senate on Sunday signed the committee report reconciling their conflicting provisions in the proposed P6.793 trillion budget for 2026, paving the way for its ratification set for tomorrow, Monday. 

The bicameral report on the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) was approved later than the initial target date of 22 December, after lawmakers locked in a standoff over several key provisions in the budget, causing a one-week delay. 

The showdown centered on funding for the graft-tainted Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and contentious programs, particularly the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) under the Department of Health. 

House appropriations committee chairperson Mikaela Suansing and her counterpart, Senate finance panel chair Win Gatchalian, led the signing of the bicam report at the Philippine Convention Center.

Amid concerns of a potential recurrence of alleged large-scale corruption, Suansing said the bicam report was a “people-centered budget” and a product of a sweeping reform towards “transparency.” At the same time, Gatchalian assured that it underwent rigorous scrutiny from its members. 

“This [document] is about 4,300 pages read five times before approval,” Gatchalian said, adding that the document, including its annexes, will be uploaded to the respective transparency portals of both chambers once it is ratified.

The signing of the bicam report advances the GAB to the ratification stage, wherein the bicam report will be sent back to the House and the Senate for final review and approval. 

Congress will resume its session briefly today, Monday, to ratify the bicam report. After the ratification, the enrolled bill is expected to be transmitted to Malacañang on the same day for President Marcos Jr.’s signature. Though he could also veto it entirely or in part, as seen in the 2025 GAB.

Back in July, during his fourth State of the Nation Address, Marcos warned Congress that he would not approve a proposed budget that deviates from the Malacañang-endorsed National Expenditure Program, regardless of whether it results in a reenacted budget.

A reenacted budget would mean that the previous year's GAA would remain in effect until both chambers of Congress approve the current GAB, and may result in an economic slowdown and hinder the delivery of government services, as new programs and projects will lack funding. 

His stern warning was triggered by reports of billions of alleged backdoor insertions in the 2025 GAA, which was primarily blamed on the bicam responsible for crafting the final draft of the budget. This has led to public condemnation, with critics deriding the 2025 GAA as the “most corrupt” budget in Philippine history. 

The 2025 budget was initially set at P6.352 trillion, but was slashed to P6.326 trillion after Marcos vetoed P194 billion worth of line items deemed inconsistent with his administration’s priority programs

Of the trimmed amount, P16.7 billion was meant for flood control projects, now at the center of a rigorous corruption probe involving members of Congress, Cabinet members, DPWH officials, and private contractors. 

Earlier, Malacañang said Marcos intends to sign the GAB before the year ends to avoid a reenacted budget. But earlier this week, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto withdrew the statement, saying the president will instead sign the 2026 budget into law by early January to have ample time to review it thoroughly. 

Last week, Suansing said the bicam agreed to cut the DPWH’s funding to roughly P570 billion, down from the original proposal of P881.3 billion.

The significant reduction was the result of Congress’s decision to reallocate more than P300 billion in DPWH funds—P255 billion of which was initially earmarked for flood control projects—to crucial sectors, such as health, education, and agriculture.

Of the slash funding, a large chunk went to PhilHealth, amounting to a whopping P16.52 billion, with watchdogs saying this is mainly because Congress wants to compensate for the zero subsidy it gave to the state insurer in this year’s budget. 

Aside from realignment, the bicam also retained the contentious unprogrammed appropriations and so-called “pork” in the 2026 GAB, particularly the MAIFIP and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations.d