Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Thursday, Dec. 4, that the Senate is working to resolve the remaining issues with proposed amendments to the 2026 national budget, to keep the timetable on track.

In a chance interview, Sotto responded to questions on whether disagreements have emerged over which proposed amendments should be accommodated or not, adding that the Upper Chamber is trying to make the process more transparent than in previous years.

“Yes, parang ganun ang nangyayari siyempre most of the individual amendments this time, unlike before ay gusto namin inilalahad sa publiko (Yes, that seems to be what’s happening. Naturally, most of the individual amendments this time — unlike before — we want to present to the public),” he said.

He explained that some senators submitted their individual amendments to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the finance panel, who then reviews them based on transparency and accountability criteria.

“So doon medyo may konting mga ika nga'y pinag-uusapan pa kahapon so itong araw na to hopefully natapos na nila kagabi at saka mamaya hopefully by 3 p.m. we'll be ready to approve it on second reading (So there were still a few things, so to speak, being discussed yesterday, but today, hopefully, they were able to finish them last night, and later, hopefully by 3 p.m., we’ll be ready to approve it on second reading),” Sotto said, referring to the passage on second reading of the budget bill on Thursday.

If the Senate approves the budget bill on second reading on Thursday, third reading approval could follow on Tuesday, December 9, allowing the bicameral conference to be scheduled afterward.

Asked if the matter must be settled today to avoid delays next week, he replied: “Di na pwede, dapat maresolve today (No longer possible; it must be resolved today).”

Sotto also addressed Malacañang’s position, conveyed through the Presidential Communications Office Usec. Claire Castro, that President Marcos will not allow a reenacted budget for 2026. He expressed confidence that the Senate would meet the deadline.

“We are confident that we will be able to finish it,” he said, noting cooperation not only among senators but also with the executive branch and the House of Representatives once the bicam begins.

Avoiding a reenacted budget, he stressed, is a priority.

“Hinding hindi namin papayagan sapagkat, sabi nga nila the most corrupt budget yung 2025 tapos reenacted. Aba'y masamang mangyayari yun kaya di namin papayagan (We will absolutely not allow it because, as they say, the 2025 budget was the most corrupt, and then to have it reenacted—well, that would be disastrous, so we will not allow it),” he added.

On concerns raised by minority senators, Sotto said questions are part of the process but stressed that budget work inherently requires compromise.

He said transparency remains central to the Senate’s deliberations.

“Basta importante pa rin ay transparent naming ginagawa, accountable kung ano't ano man yung makita nila dun ang publiko alam (What’s important is that we are still doing it transparently, and accountable, so that whatever they see, the public will know),” he added.

Sotto added that the target remains for Congress to approve the budget and for the President to sign it before year-end.

“Oh yes, by December 29. Hopefully by December 30, mapirmahan ang Presidente ang budget (the President will sign the budget),” he said.

As of writing, the period of amendments is still ongoing.