LIVE UPDATES: Bicam hearing for proposed 2026 national budget (Dec. 15, 2025)

The Bicameral Conference Committee will have on Monday its Day 3 of deliberations on the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026.

Lawmakers from the Senate and House will discuss their disagreeing votes on House Bill No. 4058, or the 2026 General Appropriations Bill, when they meet at 4 p.m. at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

The Senate delegation is composed of finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, Senators Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos, Bong Go, Kiko Pangilinan, Erwin Tulfo, and Mark Villar.

The House of Representatives meanwhile sent appropriations committee chairperson Mikaela Suansing, appropriations senior vice chairperson Albert Garcia, Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, and Reps. Maria Carmen Zamora, Jose Alvarez, Rufus Rodriguez, Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, Brian Yamsuan, Javier Miguel Benitez, and Allan Ty.

On Day 1 on Saturday, the panel approved the P961.3-B proposed budget of the Department of Education (DepEd). The lawmakers also decided to put the P2-billion fund for the Tulong Dunong Program under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). 

The P33-billion budget proposed under the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the rehabilitation, repair and construction of farm-to-market roads (FMR) in 2026 also hurdled the bicameral conference committee on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the proposed funding for the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) has been raised to P51 billion for 2026, after lawmakers approved an increase on Saturday. MAIFIP provides financial assistance for the medical expenses of poor patients, often through guarantee letters issued by politicians.

Meanwhile on Sunday (Day 2), the bicam deliberated on the proposed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways, with DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon in attendance.

Dizon defended the DPWH's bid to restore cuts to its 2026 budget, telling skeptical lawmakers that he understood why the department lost the public's trust after massive corruption in connection with ghost or substandard flood control projects was revealed.

He told the bicameral conference committee that he agency is not requesting the restoration of infrastructure projects that were removed from the proposed 2026 budget, and that the cost of project materials will decrease.

This year's bicam hearings were livestreamed for the first time.

This came after congressional inquiries revealed that funds inserted or introduced by lawmakers at the bicam level funded questionable items, including alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Earlier, Malacañang said the enrolled copy of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill would likely be submitted to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for his review and approval before Christmas Day.

Below are the latest updates about the bicam hearing and related news. Refresh this page for updates.

—KG, GMA Integrated News