Philippines Budget 2026: Transparency Promises

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) submitted the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program to both houses of Congress on Wednesday, with lawmakers promising a more transparent budget process that will be open to the public.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman led the DBM delegation in handing over the document to the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“This submission signals the start of the budget process,” said Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who will spearhead the Senate’s budget hearings.

SPENDING PLAN Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (2nd from left) hands the copy of the P6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (3rd from left), alongside Senate President Francis Escudero (right), Sen. Joel Villanueva and Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano (not pictured), during a ceremonial turnover at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Aug.13, 2025. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO

In a notable shift in procedure, Gatchalian announced a more participatory approach to this year’s budget scrutiny. For the first time, the Senate will invite civil society organizations, nongovernment organizations and independent budget experts to weigh in on the proposed spending plan.

“In the past, budget hearings were limited to senators and government agencies. This year, we want to open the floor to those who have long monitored the budget from outside government,” Gatchalian said.

In the House, Speaker Martin Romualdez announced they would also invite civil society, people’s organizations and the private sector to budget hearings, and open the bicameral conference committee meetings to the public.

Romualdez also said the House would strengthen oversight, requiring timely reports from agencies and enabling real-time tracking of major projects.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman hands the copy of the P6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Win Gatchalian, alongside Senate President Francis Escudero, Senators Joel Villanueva and Allan Peter Cayetano, during a ceremonial turnover at the Senate in Pasay City on Aug. 13, 2025. The turnover marked the start of the Senate’s budget deliberations to ensure the efficient allocation of funds for national priorities. PHOTOS BY MIKE DE JUAN

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman hands the copy of the P6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Win Gatchalian, alongside Senate President Francis Escudero, Senators Joel Villanueva and Allan Peter Cayetano, during a ceremonial turnover at the Senate in Pasay City on Aug. 13, 2025. The turnover marked the start of the Senate’s budget deliberations to ensure the efficient allocation of funds for national priorities. PHOTOS BY MIKE DE JUAN

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman hands the copy of the P6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Win Gatchalian, alongside Senate President Francis Escudero, Senators Joel Villanueva and Allan Peter Cayetano, during a ceremonial turnover at the Senate in Pasay City on Aug. 13, 2025. The turnover marked the start of the Senate’s budget deliberations to ensure the efficient allocation of funds for national priorities. PHOTOS BY MIKE DE JUAN

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman hands the copy of the P6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Win Gatchalian, alongside Senate President Francis Escudero, Senators Joel Villanueva and Allan Peter Cayetano, during a ceremonial turnover at the Senate in Pasay City on Aug. 13, 2025. The turnover marked the start of the Senate’s budget deliberations to ensure the efficient allocation of funds for national priorities. PHOTOS BY MIKE DE JUAN

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman hands the copy of the P6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Win Gatchalian, alongside Senate President Francis Escudero, Senators Joel Villanueva and Allan Peter Cayetano, during a ceremonial turnover at the Senate in Pasay City on Aug. 13, 2025. The turnover marked the start of the Senate’s budget deliberations to ensure the efficient allocation of funds for national priorities. PHOTOS BY MIKE DE JUAN

Outlining the chamber’s priorities, Romualdez said: “We will prioritize investments that truly change lives: agriculture for food security, infrastructure for connectivity and jobs, education for opportunity, health for all, and defense and disaster preparedness for national safety.”

He said that the planned reforms “are not meant to slow the process — they are meant to make it better, stronger and more trusted.”

Under the Constitution, the president shall submit to Congress within 30 days “from the opening of every regular session, as the basis of the general appropriations bill, a budget of expenditures and sources of financing, including receipts from existing and proposed revenue measures.”

The Constitution states that appropriation bills shall originate exclusively in the House but that the Senate may propose or concur with amendments.

The 20th Congress opened session last July 28.

The initial budget briefing for lawmakers by the Development Budget Coordination Committee, which typically provides the economic backdrop for the budget, was postponed to Sept. 1, after key economic managers were unable to attend the original schedule.

The proposed 2026 national budget — representing the government’s annual plan for public spending — will undergo intense scrutiny in both chambers of Congress before its expected passage later this year.

Confidential and intelligence funds

At a press conference at the House, Pangandaman said the amount proposed for confidential and intelligence funds decreased by 11 percent in the 2026 budget to P10.77 billion.

Of this amount, confidential funds total P4.368 billion while intelligence funds total P6.398 billion.

The Office of the President has P4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds under the proposal with… P1.848 billion,” Pangandaman said.

Another office with confidential and intelligence funds in the budget proposal is the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (P1.471 billion).

The following were also allocated confidential funds: the Anti-Money Laundering Council (P7.5 million), Games and Amusements Board (P4 million), National Security Council (P250 million), Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (P60 million) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (P500 million).

Also under the spending plan, confidential funds were allocated to the Commission on Audit (P10 million) and the Office of the Ombudsman (about P51 million).

The proposed 2026 budget says no intelligence funds shall be released or disbursed without presidential approval.

“Agencies utilizing intelligence funds shall submit to the president of the Philippines a quarterly report on the accomplishments in the use of said funds,” it reads.

Meanwhile, confidential funds “shall be released or disbursed only upon approval of the” concerned department secretary.

“Agencies utilizing confidential funds shall submit to the president of the Philippines and both houses of Congress a quarterly report on the accomplishments in the use of said funds,” it reads.

Genuine transparency

Meanwhile, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta emphasized the need for genuine transparency to begin at the top levels of Congress.

“How can we expect real accountability if, even as elected representatives, we are not given full access to budget details?” asked Marcoleta.

He cited his experience receiving a 400-page bicameral budget report last year, where 12 to 13 pages in the special provisions section contained 28 unspecified or blank budget entries.

“I tried to look for annexes or instructions that might explain these items, but none were attached,” he said, adding that his request for access to supporting records from the House Secretary-General’s office — including a copy of the enrolled bill sent to Malacañang — was denied.