House approves P6.79T national budget on third reading

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading its version of the proposed P6.79-trillion national budget for 2026, the largest in the country's history.

A total of 287 lawmakers voted in favor of the General Appropriations Bill, with 12 voting against and two abstaining.

The budget includes an education budget equivalent to 4.1% of the gross domestic product, surpassing the international benchmark of 4%.

However, the bill retains around P214 billion in unprogrammed funds, which opposition lawmakers have criticized as a "convenient parking spot" for expenses that should be programmed.

ML Party List Representative Leila De Lima stated that her stand against unprogrammed appropriations is a constitutional imperative, emphasizing "U-A, go away!"

Akbayan Party List Representative Chel Diokno added that with unprogrammed appropriations, billions remain hidden in confidential and intelligence funds, and other discretionary infrastructure projects.

House appropriations chair Mikaela Suansing clarified that P35 billion in infrastructure projects had already been removed from the unprogrammed appropriations.

The Makabayan bloc opposed the budget bill, labeling it a continuation of the corrupt pork barrel system and citing P695.78 billion in alleged 'pork' allocations, including unprogrammed appropriations and confidential and intelligence funds.

The Senate has vowed to zero out the unprogrammed funds when the measure reaches their chamber.