Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Questions remain on the Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) for 2026, according to Akbayan Party List Representative Percival Cendaña.That’s despite the House Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee’s approval on Thursday of the proposal to remove P35 billion in locally funded infrastructure and the P6.7 billion public health emergency benefits and allowances for healthcare workers from the UA.Cendaña questioned why funding for the said allowance was proposed under the 2026 unprogrammed appropriations, when it has already been paid.“We are really alarmed dito sa development na ito sa UA,” Cendaña said.“Kung nabayaran na siya, bakit pa rin siya nandoon?… Kinakailangan talaga mas busisiin pa itong mga allocations under UA, kasi while may sinasabi tayo na may ginagawa tayong improvements, may ginagawa tayong reforms, a lot still has to be explained… Bakit nga nandito sa UA ‘yung mga items na ito kung ito ay mga obligation… under foreign loans kapag tayo ay nag-iimplement ng foreign assisted projects... Hindi ba dapat ‘yung mga ganitong bagay, programmed ito, para mas nababantayan. Kasi nga under unprogrammed, napaka-lose ng naging approval and process ng release,” he added.Department of Health spokesperson Asec. Albert Domingo explained that there were still no identified funds for the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances when the DOH requested to include the amount in the proposed 2026 budget submitted to the President last August 12.  But nearly a month later, the Department of Budget and Management was able to find funds from the current year’s budget to pay the amount.“During the earlier part of 2025 before the budget call by DBM, DOH requested to include an amount in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 to finally close and pay remaining claims for Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA). There were no identified available funds at that time. The DBM included this in the NEP 2026 submitted to the President on August 12, which was then submitted to the House of Representatives on August 13. On September 2, following instructions of President Marcos, Jr., the DBM was able to find funds from the current year&#x27;s budget to pay for the said amount,” Domingo told ABS-CBN News in a text message.House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson Zia Alonto Adiong, meanwhile, gave this explanation on why the BARSc kept the foreign assisted projects under the proposed UA next year.“We cannot just renege from our obligation to the agreement that we had with… foreign assisted projects. Hindi natin pwedeng talikuran ‘yun,” he said.For Cendaña, the unprogrammed appropriations for 2026 should be removed. But Adiong said parts of it are necessary for emergencies.“Ang gusto talaga natin ay talagang i-zero out ang UA at tiyakin na walang opportunity for leakage… Dapat bawasan if not totally tanggalin,” Cendaña said.“We understand where Malacanang is coming from when it comes to issues on contingency. Pero kung contingency lang, bakit ang daming items na naka-park dito sa UA?” he added.“Una sa lahat, tinanggal natin ‘yung (locally funded) infrastructure component doon sa unprogrammed funds. So hindi na siya magagamit for any additional insertion na sinasabi for infra-projects. Number two, may mga social services kasi na component na kailangan mong i-maintain. For example, mayroon tayong darating na mga calamities. Mostly, these are the programs that we intend to use and program funds for a response to the calamities,” Adiong explained.He gave assurances that there are no duplicate entries in the unprogrammed appropriations.“I&#x27;m confident naman na wala na ‘yung duplication for example of programs to be paid or programs to be funded,” Adiong said.<div>NO PORK BARREL</div>The House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson also said there is no pork barrel in the proposed 2026 national budget.Adiong was responding to the claim of the People’s Budget Coalition and some civil society organizations that there is “at least P230 billion in pork barrel and patronage-based projects in the current House version of the proposed 2026 budget”.“When you say pork barrel kasi unclassified talaga ‘yan eh, without any purpose or any use. Walang general description. Just that nakalaan lang dyan sa isang agency. But looking at the funds and looking at the proposed NEP, lahat po ay naka-itemize po yan. Lahat po nakalagay po yan sa kung anong kategorya itong i-use. And it&#x27;s lodged to specific agencies. Naka-itemize at naka-program na nga po ‘yan… We are confident to say na wala pong pork barrel,” Adiong said.He also defended the proposed allocation for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Dispaced Workers (TUPAD), and the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP), which the People’s Budget Coalition said “perpetuate political patronage”.“This is in response to the plan of this administration, which we believe we can also partner with, itong investment in human capital. Kailangan talaga natin ‘yan eh,” Adiong said.<div>OVP BUDGET</div>The BARSc did not discuss on Wednesday proposals to reduce the proposed P902.8 million budget for the Office of the Vice President next year, after VP Sara Duterte failed to show up in the House plenary deliberations on her office’s budget.“Ang pinag-usapan sa BARSc ay ‘yung institutional amendments… May mga line items din doon na according to the agency, hindi nila masyadong priority… So that&#x27;s why we had to do some adjustments in terms of the funding doon sa mga priority ng per agencies,” Adiong explained.“’Yung pinag-usapan doon sa BARSc is the P255 billion that was taken from the original, initial request ng DPWH. These are the flood controls… na tinanggal at we tried to redistribute that to those agencies that may be needing more funding,” he added.But Adiong said congressmen can still push for their proposed changes in the 2026 national budget during the period of amendments on Friday’s session.Cendaña and some lawmakers from the House minority plan to move for the reduction of the OVP’s proposed 2026 budget during that period.“Most probably this will be individual amendments from members of the minority during the plenary tomorrow… We are working with the other members of the reform bloc as to what budget cuts ‘yung kinakailangang gawin dito sa Office of the Vice President… We&#x27;re looking into how do we ensure naman the welfare of the workers of our government employees, lalo na ‘yung ating mga regular government employees, who are employed under the Office of the Vice President. So we hope to be able to come up with a compromise,” Cendaña said.<div>OPEN BICAM</div>Some congressmen from both the House majority and minority, meanwhile, back calls to open to the public or livestream the meetings of the bicameral conference committee on the proposed 2026 national budget.“Kung hindi magbubukas ang bicam sa publiko, lalo magagalit ang taumbayan. Kasi nakita natin na parang talagang third chamber itong bicam at intact napaka makapangyarihan niya. Ang nangyari na, overturning na kahit ‘yung mga agreements at ‘yung mga decisions na ginawa ng dalawang chambers that we have. So the open bicam is an important step towards transparency and winning back the people&#x27;s trust sa ating budget process,” Cendaña said.“I don&#x27;t see any reason why the bicam should not also be live-streamed and be televised openly for the public…. I would rather have a bicam that is open and transparent. Because… that&#x27;s actually what the public wants. And as public officers and public officials, we should respond to what the public wants,” Adiong added.

Questions remain on the Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) for 2026, according to Akbayan Party List Representative Percival Cendaña.

Questions remain on the Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) for 2026, according to Akbayan Party List Representative Percival Cendaña.

Lawmaker questions unprogrammed appropriations for 2026

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Lawmaker questions unprogrammed appropriations for 2026

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 09, 2025 06:08 PM PHT

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2026 budget

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