Senate Finance Committee chair admits 2026 budget approval no longer on schedule

Senate Finance Committee Chair Sherwin Gatchalian admitted that the 2026 national budget is no longer on schedule for approval.

The bicameral conference committee hearing was postponed due to a deadlock concerning budget allocations for the Department of Public Works and Highways and medical assistance for indigent patients.

Malacañang remains optimistic about Congress passing the 2026 national budget on time, with Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro emphasizing the President's desire to avoid a reenacted budget.

Senate President Pro-Tempore Panfilo Lacson suggested that a reenacted budget in the first quarter of 2026 might be preferable to passing a "corruption-conducive and graft-ridden" spending bill.

Despite the ongoing disagreements, Malacañang believes there is still sufficient time to carefully study and approve the budget before the end of the year.

The printing and reconciliation process for the final budget document typically takes four to five days, which is a factor in the timeline.