Lacson warns of looming re-enacted budget for 2026

The national government may operate on a reenacted budget next year as the bicameral conference committee faces delays in deliberations on the proposed P6.793 trillion national budget for 2026 due to issues affecting some agencies, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Tuesday.

Lacson raised this possibility as members of the bicameral conference committee from the Senate and the House of Representatives (HOR) reached a deadlock, triggered by disagreements on the allocation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2026.

The lawmaker said the Senate is also seeking clarity on the increased budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the rehabilitation, repair, and construction of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) in 2026, as well as on the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program of the Department of Health (DOH).

“Kapag kinapos sa oras. Kasi kapag hindi kayang ipaliwanag at hanggat di ma-correct ng DA ang kanilang pinalitan na at least P5 billion-worth na farm-to-market roads, eh baka gahulin sa oras,” Lacson said in interview over "Balitanghali."

(We may operate on a reenacted budget if we cannot ratify the budget on time. If the DA cannot correct and explain the P5 billion increase in their FMR projects immediately, we may not have sufficient time.)

But Lacson expressed optimism that the bicam panels are set to break the impasse on the DPWH budget.

“Yung sa DPWH, nearing resolution yun. Pag-uusapan na lang dun yung pag-justify kung nararapat ba na yung P45 billion, o most of it ay i-restore," he said.

(The issue with the DPWH is nearing resolution. We are just discussing whether the restoration of the budget is justifiable.)

"Kasi ang napagkasunduan sa third reading—kailangan walang papasok na bagong items; otherwise, mao-open ang floodgates sa insertion na hindi namin papayagan din,” Lacson added.

(What was agreed upon during the third reading was that no new items can be included in the bicam report, as it may yet again open the floodgates for insertions.)

The bicameral conference committee began hearings on Saturday, December 13. Over the weekend, the bicam approved the P33-billion budget proposed for the DA's FMR projects and the P51-billion proposed funding for the MAIFIP program next year.

Lacson said he would rather have the government operate on a reenacted budget for January or the first quarter of the year than pass a “corruption-driven or graft-ridden” national budget.

Under such conditions, the government would have to operate under the P6.326 trillion budget for 2025, which Lacson had earlier described as the "most corrupt" budget in the country's history.

“Ang position ko, ang bottomline kailangan maayos itong aming budget. Mas maganda na ang reenacted budget kaysa sa corruption-driven o graft-ridden na national budget na naipasa nga on time pero vulnerable naman sa pagsasamantala,” he said.

(My position is that we need to reform the budget. I would rather have the government operate on a reenacted budget than pass a corruption-driven or graft-ridden national budget.)

“I think my colleagues share the same sentiment,” he added.

On Monday, the Senate postponed the third day of the bicam meeting over a “deadlock” on the DPWH allocation for 2026.

However, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Finance Committee, said they are still targeting to ratify the budget bill by Wednesday, December 17, to avoid a reenacted budget next year.—MCG, GMA Integrated News