Makabayan bloc to vote no on 2026 budget over 'pork barrel' concerns

Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives are set to vote against the bicameral conference committee's approved version of the 2026 national budget.

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co criticized the bicam-approved funding for unprogrammed appropriations and government programs that supposedly perpetuate "patronage politics."

Tinio stated that despite promises of a reform budget, the pork barrel system remains intact, with allocations for both infrastructure and aid still present for legislators.

He further elaborated that this system has implications for education and health, questioning why individuals needing medical services must approach politicians for guarantee letters when funds could be directly assigned to hospitals.

Co questioned the necessity of approaching politicians for scholarships, pointing to UNIFAST as a centralized fund that could directly accommodate the needs of higher education students.