Senate OKs P6.79T national budget for 2026 on final reading

The Philippine Senate unanimously approved the P6.793 trillion national budget for 2026 on its third and final reading, with 17 senators voting in favor.

Funding for the education sector remains the largest portion at P1.37 trillion, which includes P65.9 billion for classroom construction and P28.6 billion for the Department of Education's school-based feeding program.

The budget for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was reduced by P53.99 billion to P570.58 billion, a decrease from the House version's P624.48 billion, to fund education, health, and emergency preparedness.

To prevent ghost projects, all DPWH infrastructure projects will now require station numbers and specific coordinates.

The Senate retained P175 billion in unprogrammed appropriations.

Senators are pushing for amendments at the bicameral conference committee level, particularly for the health sector, with a proposal to move P60 billion to PhilHealth's reserve fund instead of program expansion.