House Panel to Begin 2026 Budget Deliberations Early
The House of Representatives will begin discussions on the proposed 2026 national budget earlier than initially planned. The appropriations committee is set to hear the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) report starting Monday, August 18, signaling a faster budget process this year, officials reported.
Appropriations Chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mikaela Suansing confirmed the accelerated schedule following the formal turnover of the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to the House leaders. “As the speaker said, we will do our best to finish the budget as soon as possible, so we will work hard, we will continue with our deliberations so that we can approve the budget bill on third and final reading on time,” she said in a briefing after the P6.793-trillion proposed budget was handed over.
Early Deliberations and Timeline Adjustments
Suansing explained that since the NEP is already with the House, deliberations will kick off sooner than expected. “On Monday, August 18, we will start with the DBCC. Once we kick off hearings with the DBCC, we will continue with committee hearings, and then we will shift our deliberations to the plenary level,” she added.
Previously, budget discussions were projected to start around September 1, as intermediary procedures like preparing the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) were still underway, local leaders noted. However, the timeline shifted once the NEP was formally submitted, prompting a move to expedite hearings and budget approvals.
Intermediary Steps and Civil Society Access
Before full deliberations, several intermediary steps are required, including the preparation of the GAB, which contains the chamber’s version of the proposed budget. Additionally, Suansing has proposed reforms to increase transparency by allowing civil society groups access to the NEP. This would enable these groups to review budget allocations and provide valuable input during the process.
This proposal is part of a broader three-pronged reform plan that also calls for the abolition of the “small committee” and opening bicameral conference committee meetings to public viewing, community members explained. However, the current status of this initiative remains unclear amid the accelerated schedule, as officials have yet to confirm its implementation.
Budget Process and Legislative Oversight
By law, the executive branch must submit the NEP within 30 days of the legislative session’s opening. The House Committee on Appropriations then reviews the proposed budget for each government department before issuing a committee report with the GAB. The bill moves to plenary debates where amendments may be proposed and must be approved on third reading before proceeding to the Senate.
Heightened scrutiny surrounds the budget process this year following concerns about the 2025 General Appropriations Act. Issues ranged from alleged blank items in the bicameral conference report to last-minute insertions for flood control projects, officials reported.
Presidential Warning and Calls for Reform
During his recent State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned corruption linked to flood control projects, noting that some government officials and contractors allegedly received kickbacks. He warned lawmakers that he would not sign any national budget that fails to align with the administration’s priorities, even if it means relying temporarily on a reenacted budget.
These strong remarks came amid concerns raised by Senator Panfilo Lacson that nearly half of the almost P2 trillion allocated for flood control projects since 2011 may have been lost to corruption. In response, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez urged reforms such as opening bicameral conference committee meetings to public scrutiny to enhance transparency and accountability.
For more news and updates on the 2026 national budget, visit Filipinokami.com.
