Congress ratifies P6.352 trillion national budget for 2026

Updated Tue, December 30, 2025 at 12:00 AM Published Sun, December 28, 2025 at 5:55 PM

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives and the Senate ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the P6.352 trillion national budget for 2026.

This year's bicameral deliberations were notably streamed live, increasing transparency.

The 2026 budget is larger than this year's, reflecting expanded allocations amid inflationary pressures, rising debt servicing costs, and growing political demands for local spending.

The bicameral conference committee agreed to provisions criticized for potentially encouraging patronage politics, such as increased funding for financial aid programs and unprogrammed appropriations.

At least two senators voted against the ratification due to concerns about provisions prone to corruption.

The budget bill will be transmitted to Malacañang, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to sign it into law.

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