Senate receives copy of proposed 2026 national budget

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Wednesday afternoon turned over the P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 to the Senate.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero received a copy of the proposed 2026 national budget from Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

Also present at the turnover ceremony were Senate committee on finance chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, and other executives. 

In an ambush interview, Gatchalian said that the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) hearing is set for September 1, while the budget briefings of government agencies will begin on September 3 and will last until the first week of November.

“Magi-introduce ako ng isang bagong process, which is magko-conduct kami ng [we will introduce a new process; we will conduct a] hearing to invite civil society organizations, NGOs, [and] budget experts to a hearing. This will allow them to give us their feedback, opinion, [and] analysis on the budget,” the lawmaker said. 

“Hihingi kami sa kanila ng assistance analyzing the NEP. Puwede silang mag-suggest. For example, ‘pag nakita nila na masyadong malaki pa rin ang budget sa flood control, kung nakita nila na ‘yung flood control project sa lugar nila hindi maayos, puwede silang mag-comment,” he added. 

(We will ask them for assistance analyzing the NEP. They can suggest, for example, when they see that the budget for flood control is still too big, or if they see that the flood control project in their area is not working properly, they can give comments on that.) 

Gatchalian said that the Senate committee on finance will also be open to proposed amendments from the public. 

He also emphasized that he will not allow insertions of programs that are not included in the NEP into the 2026 national budget, such as Charter change. 

“Hindi ko papayagan na magkaroon ng pagsisingit, especially sa bicam. ‘Yung bicam will be limited to disagreeing provisions,” he added. 

(I will not allow any insertions, especially in the bicam. The bicam will be limited to disagreeing provisions.) 

Earlier on Wednesday, the DBM also submitted the 2026 NEP to the House of Representatives.

Following the submission, Congress will hold hearings to scrutinize the proposed allocations and approve the General Appropriations Bill, which, once the President signs it, becomes the General Appropriations Act (GAA). —VBL, GMA Integrated News