Photo courtesy of House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook.
Several House members raised concerns over the swift ratification of the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, citing unresolved issues on discretionary spending.
Opposition and minority lawmakers said the General Appropriations Bill was approved with little debate despite questions over lump-sum allocations and so-called “soft pork” items.
They said the House ratified the budget through a voice vote that lasted less than a minute, leaving no room for dissenting members to explain their objections.
Critics argued that changes introduced during closed-door bicameral talks were never fully explained to lawmakers or the public.
Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima warned that transparency loses meaning when it merely exposes discretionary and patronage-driven spending.
One major concern was the retention of P243 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, an amount close to the executive’s proposal and higher than the Senate version.
The Makabayan bloc also flagged continued funding for assistance programs they described as prone to political patronage.
Lawmakers further questioned sharp increases in lump-sum funds for local governments and new discretionary items added late in the budget process.
Others pointed to deep cuts in foreign-assisted infrastructure projects, warning these could delay major transport and development programs.
Despite the criticism, the budget is expected to be signed next week, prompting calls for deeper scrutiny of spending priorities in future budget cycles.