Bicam signs report on 2026 national budget

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate and the House of Representatives signed yesterday the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed P6.79-trillion 2026 national budget, marking the first time that a reconciled enrolled copy was printed and shown to lawmakers before ratification.

During the signing, Senate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian said the reconciled version of the General Appropriations Bill was presented to bicameral conferees and their colleagues to allow them to see the provisions agreed upon after days of negotiations. 

The enrolled copy, along with its annexes and project station numbers, will be uploaded to Congress’ transparency portals after ratification.

Gatchalian said the uploaded documents will include the National Expenditure Program submitted by the executive, the versions approved separately by the House and the Senate, and the final bicameral output. 

Any subsequent changes will be subject to President Marcos’ constitutional powers once the measure is
transmitted to Malacañang.

According to the bicameral panel, the overall direction of the 2026 budget is anchored on human development, with significant allocations for education, health and agriculture.

Gatchalian said these sectors were prioritized because of their role in national development and economic growth. He said the extended bicameral process – which stretched beyond Christmas – was partly due to efforts to reconcile and scrutinize these allocations.

He acknowledged that there is room to further improve the budget process and said they are open to suggestions from fellow lawmakers and stakeholders to enhance transparency in budget deliberations.

House appropriations chair Mikaela Suansing said both chambers are set to ratify the enrolled bill today and will immediately be formally transmitted to the executive branch for President Marcos’ review and signing.

Once ratified by both chambers, the 2026 national budget will await the President’s action, including possible line-item vetoes.

Malacañang has said Marcos wanted a thorough review and would sign the budget bill in the first week of January.

Safeguards

Gatchalian said special provisions and safeguards, especially those prohibiting politicians from taking part in aid distribution have made it to the bicam report.

“Due to the volume of special provisions and general provisions, we weren’t able to insert everything, but one way or another they were included,” he noted.

However, the guarantee letter system under the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program was not among the provisions. MAIFIP has been described as a health pork barrel.

“There was no such provision in the Senate and House versions,” he said.

On the Senate side, those present during the signing were Gatchalian and Senators Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan and JV Ejercito. Other senators in the bicam sent in their e-signatures.

“Our agreement was, they can affix their e-signature as long as there is an authorization letter attached,” Gatchalian said.