Budget watchdog cries alleged pork barrel in 2026 budget, but House says there’s none

A coalition of civil society organizations has alleged that there are P230 billion in pork barrel allocations and patronage-based projects in the House of Representatives’ current version of the proposed national budget for 2026.

The People’s Budget Coalition alleged that the House Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee “inserted billions into programs that perpetuate political patronage” like the Department of Social Welfare’s Aid to Individuals in Crisis, the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, and the Department of Health’s Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients.

The group also claimed that the House subpanel “failed to remove or rationalize line items that are opaque and open to abuse” like confidential funds, unprogrammed funds, etc.

“We have lost trust in the integrity of the budget process. We estimate that there is still at least P230 billion in pork barrel and patronage-based projects,” the People’s Budget Coalition said in a statement on Tuesday.

This amount is apart from funding for local infrastructure projects in the Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Agriculture and P250 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, the budget watchdog said.

“These allocations entrench pork barrel politics, where politicians control access to services, robbing people of dignity and forcing them to beg for benefits they are entitled to under the law,” the group said.

The People’s Budget Coalition pointed out that such allocations promote unconstitutional practices like the guarantee letter system that give lawmakers “effective control of these budgets post-enactment” despite the Supreme Court ruling against it.

House appropriations panel senior vice chair and Bataan 2nd District Rep. Albert Garcia denied the People’s Budget Coalition’s claims of pork barrel allocations in next year’s spending plan.

“Actually, this is not congressional pork. These are the normal programs ng ating national government. MAIFIP, TUPAD, AICS. Normal programs po yan, continuing programs that benefit the poor,” Garcia said in an ambush interview before the House subpanel’s meeting on Wednesday morning.

(Actually, this is not congressional pork. These are the normal programs of our national government. MAIFIP, TUPAD, AICS. Those are normal programs, continuing programs that benefit the poor.)

“This 2026, may budget din pong nilagay diyan. And this was deliberated during the budget hearings at sa plenary. And it was defended by the respective sponsors at na-approve po ito,” he added.

(This 2026, there’s still a budget for those programs. And this was deliberated during the budget hearings and at the plenary. And it was defended by the respective sponsors and this was approved.)

Garcia also assured that the House subcommittee are making major adjustments in unprogrammed appropriations.

The lawmaker said these adjustments were triggered by the “call of the people” as well as suggestions by House members, including those from the minority bloc.

“Yung mga deliberations from the hearings, plus yung mga ibang concerns that were brought up during the plenary. Hindi pork, pero it’s you know, the budget is an ongoing work in progress. Tina-try natin to improve every year para mas sensitive tayo sa needs of the people and the call of the people,” Garcia said.

(The deliberations from the hearings, plus other concerns that were brought up during the plenary. It’s not pork, but you know, the budget is an ongoing work in progress. We’re trying to improve it every year so that we are more sensitive to the needs of the people and the call of the people.)

However, the People’s Budget Coalition said the funds in question should be reallocated to genuinely meaningful socioeconomic programs. 

“We demand that these be reallocated to support rules-based social protection, health, social protection, agriculture, and sustainable transportation, which are severely underfunded,” they said.

“The President’s own priority active transport and bus and jeep improvement projects have had only measly increases to the budget. The President also promised to fast-track and complete land distribution of the remaining private agricultural lands within his administration, yet his recent pronouncements remain as mere rhetoric without sufficient budget allocation,” the People’s Budget Coalition added.

The National Expenditure Program is initially reviewed and deliberated by the House of Representatives. Upon passage of a General Appropriations Bill, the GAB undergoes scrutiny anew before the Senate.

After the Senate passes its version of the 2026 national budget, a bicameral conference committee will consolidate and reconcile the disagreeing provisions of their versions of the spending plan.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said institutional and individual insertions done during congressional deliberations “are part of the regular budget process.”

The People’s Budget Coalition remained firm that Congress should restore the integrity and the public’s trust in the budget process, stressing that public office is a public trust.

“Every peso misused for political gain betrays that trust. We refuse to let the General Appropriations Act remain a playground for patronage and corruption. We call on Congress to hit reset on the budget, clean up the budget, and restore integrity to our budget process to truly respond to the needs of our nation,” they added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News