Tito Sotto, Win Gatchalian to push for zero unprogrammed funds in 2026 budget

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Monday said he and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian would push for the scrapping of all unprogrammed funds in the future budget deliberations. 

In a press briefing, Sotto said Gatchalian, Senate Finance committee chairperson, had agreed that unprogrammed funds should be removed in the second reading of the future budget deliberations.

“I have discussed it with our chairman of the Committee on Finance. We will, as much as possible, and if possible, 100% no unprogrammed funds,” Sotto said. 

“When we discuss the budget finally on 2nd reading before 3rd reading, there should be no unprogrammed funds,” he added. 

The Department of Budget and Management defines unprogrammed appropriations as those that provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collection exceeds targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated.

In simple terms, unprogrammed appropriations are akin to planned household purchases that may only proceed if extra money is available, either from additional income, like bonuses or from loans.

According to Sotto, only foreign-assisted projects will be exempt from their proposal.

“Foreign assisted lang ang i-aallow natin. Doon sa tinatawag na unprogrammed funds, ang foreign-assisted, wala nung singit,” Sotto said.

(We will only allow foreign-assisted projects.)

The Senate will adjourn its session on Friday, October 10, while the House will adjourn on Monday, October 13, to meet its deadline to adopt the proposed 2026 national budget.

This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not certify the budget bill as urgent to give lawmakers the time to scrutinize the budget before its approval.

“Pag hindi in-approve on 2nd reading at somewhere along the way pinasok ang amendment or in the bicam, pinasok, insertion yan. 'Yan ang hindi natin dapat tolerate. Kahit anong ganda ng insertion. Ang importante, you do it in plenary,” said Sotto.

(If the bill isn’t approved on 2nd reading and somewhere along the way, an amendment is inserted, then that is an insertion. We should not tolerate that. Even if the insertion was good, you should do that in the plenary.)

“Kung sino nag-propose, ano pin-propose at saan kukunin ang pambayad sa pinopropose niya. Maliwanag. Hindi ang nangyayari ng mga nakaraan which was highlighted by the 2025,” he added. 

(That way it would be clear who proposed, what was proposed, and where the proponent will source the funding for the proposal. With that, we can avoid what happened in recent years, highlighted by the 2025 budget.)

Last week, several House lawmakers, including Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña, called for the removal of the unprogrammed funds or the itemization of projects under the said appropriation amid the alleged massive misuse of flood control project funds. –NB, GMA Integrated News