Diokno pushes for zero unprogrammed appropriations in 2026 budget

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno is pushing for the removal of Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) from the 2026 national budget, viewing it as a "parallel budget system" for discretionary spending.

He argued that the UA should not be an "accountability-free magic pot" and proposed reducing its allocation to zero, as it obscures numerous projects.

Malacañang, through Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro, rejected Diokno's proposal, stating the P250 billion in UA is vital for government programs and emergencies.

Castro clarified that these funds are not spent arbitrarily and require sufficient documentation for release, even if categorized as unprogrammed.

However, the article states that the P250 billion in UA for the proposed 2026 budget is earmarked not for emergency contingencies but for major, pre-planned initiatives, contradicting the previous statement that it's for emergencies.