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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House suspends plenary session; 2026 budget debates begin Tuesday

House suspends plenary session; 2026 budget debates begin Tuesday

Published Sep 22, 2025 10:11 am

At A Glance

  • The House of Representatives has cancelled the scheduled plenary session Monday afternoon, Sept. 22 following the announcement of work suspension by Malacañang.
The House plenary hall (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
The House plenary hall (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


The House of Representatives has cancelled the scheduled plenary session Monday afternoon, Sept. 22 following the announcement of work suspension by Malacañang.
"Plenary Session originally scheduled for Monday, September 22, 2025, is hereby cancelled. Session will resume on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 12:00 noon. For information and guidance," read a memorandum released to the media by the House Monday morning.
The memorandum was signed by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
Velasco said Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III ordered the suspension of work in the House in compliance with the Palace announcement.
Tuesday's much earlier start for the session will give the congressmen an early start to the plenary budget debates.
The P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026, embodied in House Bill (HB) No.4058, is expected to be sponsored on the floor by Committee on Appropriations chairperson, Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing on Tuesday.
The defense of the individual budgets of government agencies, this time to be led by the vice chairpersons of the appropriations panel, will then commence.
The memorandum said that the Budget Amendments Review Sub-committe (BARSc) of the Committe on Appropriations woukd still be carried out Monday at the Rolando Andaya, Sr. Hall.
The primary task of task of the BARSc was to realign the P255 billion worth funding that was dropped by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) from the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The P255 billion was initially allocated to flood control projects. The NEP was the basis of the GAB.
"Allessential personnel are expected to report for duty to ensure that critical operations within the House of Representatives remain uninterrupted," it further read.
Earlier, the Office of the President (OP) issued a directive suspending work in government offices in Metro Manila on account of the expected heavy rainfall brought by Super Typhoon "Nando" and the intensified southwest monsoon.
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