Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Senate missed its own timetable to pass the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget on Wednesday because the Senate Finance Committee was not yet done processing the amendments senators proposed to next year&#x27;s spending plan.Minutes before Wednesday&#x27;s plenary session began, Senate President Vicente Sotto III told media that the plan to approve on second reading on Wednesday was still on.However, the plenary proceeded to tackle other items on the agenda before going on a long suspension, only to resume and tackle a few other items before suspending till 3 p.m. Thursday.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/3/lacson-clarifies-p79-b-worth-of-ghost-flood-control-projects-from-2016-2025-1653">Lacson clarifies: P79-B worth of &#x27;ghost&#x27; flood control projects from 2016-2025</a></div>&quot;Di pa tapos eh. May mga comments,&quot; Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian said when media asked about the delay.(It isn&#x27;t done yet. There are still some comments)&quot;Hindi pa tapos. Sinusulat pa (It&#x27;s not yet done. They&#x27;re still writing it), &quot; Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.&quot;We have to be transparent. We cannot pass anything without the final print.&quot;Gatchalian and Zubiri downplayed the possibility of a delay, with the majority leader saying the Senate would convene on Thursday, when plenary sessions are not usually held.&quot;That&#x27;s why we&#x27;re working tomorrow. It&#x27;s overtime,&quot; he said.Gatchalian said senators feel strongly about their proposed amendments, so these are being included in the draft bill &quot;subject to fiscal space&quot;.Zubiri said &quot;a lot&quot; of proposed amendments have already been turned down.&quot;Kasi kung walang pera, wala talaga pera. O yung programa hindi maganda,&quot; he said.(Because if there is no money, then there really is no money for it. Or the program would suffer in the implementation)<div><a href="http://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/2/senate-leaders-assure-no-reenacted-budget-no-more-red-flags-1539">Senate leaders vow no reenacted budget, no more red flags</a></div>He said, though, that the Senate is still &quot;on target&quot; to pass the budget on third and final reading next Tuesday.Both predicted a contentious bicameral conference committee after the bill is approved on third reading. Bicameral meetings will be livestreamed for transparency.Zubiri stressed that the budget process has been transparent, with all documents submitted to Gatchalian as panel chair and all amendments done on the floor.&quot;At may mga supporting documents. Yun ang pinakamahalaga,&quot; Gatchalian said.(And there are supporting documents. That&#x27;s what is most important)Gatchalian said they are also entertaining the comments and suggestions of civil society groups.He previously said the budget bill will be ready for the president&#x27;s signature on December 29 — three days shy of the New Year.

The Senate missed its own timetable to approve the proposed P6.793 trillion 2026 National Budget on Wednesday because the Senate Finance Committee was not yet done processing all the amendments senators proposed to next year's spending plan.

The Senate missed its own timetable to approve the proposed P6.793 trillion 2026 National Budget on Wednesday because the Senate Finance Committee was not yet done processing all the amendments senators proposed to next year's spending plan.

No approval on 2nd reading yet but leaders confident Senate will pass budget bill in time

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No approval on 2nd reading yet but leaders confident Senate will pass budget bill in time

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 03, 2025 07:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

2026 Budget

General Appropriations Bill

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