Gov't targeting 4.3% of GDP for infra spending - DBM

Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo said Tuesday that the infrastructure spending target of the government for this fiscal year was 4.3% of the gross domestic product.

''Dito sa ating approved GAA (General Appropriations Act )... we’re looking at achieving our infrastructure target as percent of GDP, at 4.3%... at a nominal level, that is equivalent to 1.3 trillion which is based on the GAA,'' Toledo said in a press briefing. 

''As much as possible, we want to increase further, moving forward in the medium term, so we want to increase investment in terms of our infrastructure project. But for 2026, this is equivalent to 4.3% of GDP,'' he added.

Toledo also ensured that there is no ghost project in the budget, noting that there would be no delays nor derailment in the infrastructure projects.

''We can achieve the projected target as far as our infrastructure is concerned,'' Toledo said. 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has imposed stricter conditions in releasing the funds under the P6.793-trillion national budget this year, particularly for new programs and budgetary adjustments introduced during congressional deliberations, the DBM said. 

Marcos also vetoed nearly P92.5-billion worth of line items under the unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 GAA.

Toledo, for his part, said unprogrammed appropriations are not necessarily "bad," as they are also important in public spending. 

''Sa ngayon malinaw po na ang ating unprogrammed appropriations ay mababa na ngayon – so, that is around 150 billion na lang po tayo for the 2026,'' he said. 

(Right now, it's clear that our unprogrammed appropriations are lower. That's around P150 billion for 2026.)

Unprogrammed appropriations are budget items that will only be funded if there is excess government revenue and other funding sources, such as loans or special laws. —VAL, GMA Integrated News