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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bicam 'on track' to finishing 2026 budget deliberations despite DPWH hitch--Yamsuan

Bicam 'on track' to finishing 2026 budget deliberations despite DPWH hitch--Yamsuan

Published Dec 15, 2025 03:37 pm

At A Glance

  • Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Yamsuan says the Bicameral Conference Committee remains "on track" to finishing the consolidation of the House and Senate versions of the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026
Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Yamsuan (Rep. Yamsuan's office)
Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Yamsuan (Rep. Yamsuan's office)


Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Yamsuan says the Bicameral Conference Committee remains "on track" to finishing the consolidation of the House and Senate versions of the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026.
This, as two hearings were already in the books, with the third one originally slated on Monday, Dec. 15.
"Yes, on track naman, kasi marami namang paraan para matapos ‘to by [Monday], and konti lang naman ‘yong idi-discuss eh, kasi kung madi-discuss na namin in our own chambers ‘yong problema doon sa mga naging suggestion," Yamsuan--a member of the 12-person House contingent to the bicam--said in a chance interview after the conclusion of the second day of the hearings Sunday.
"And then pagbalik namin [sa lunes], may dala na rin kaming mga suhestyon sa kanila. Madali na lang ‘to by [Monday], and ilang agencies na lang naman ‘yong natitira, mostly ‘yong adaption na lang naman talaga ng mga pinasok na mga provisions don sa budget," he confidently said.
(And then when we return [on Monday], we will also bring our suggestions to them. By [Monday], this will be easy, and only a few agencies remain, mostly just the adaptation of the provisions that were inserted into the budget.)
The House and Senate contingents to the bicam are going through the conflicting provisions of their respective versions of the budget measure on a per agency basis.
The first two days of deliberations look very different from each other.
On Dec. 13, the conferees were able to breeze through the agencies of Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Agriculture (DA) with little to no arguments. The lengthy but productive hearing lasted over 10 hours.
And then came the considerarion of the Department of Public Works and Highways Budget (DPWH) on the second day of the livestreamed hearings on Dec. 14. After some resistance from senators, the House members got their way and had DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon join the discussions to at least give verbal justification to the agency's request for the conferees to restore the deducted amounts from the projects in the its proposed budget next year.
Funding for the DPWH was already a contentious matter even before the budget process began, no thanks to the flood control projects corruption scandal.
Day two of the bicam--which was marked with lengthy suspensions--ended with no decision from congressmen an senators regarding Dizon's request.
(They should look into and scrutinize these accusations because these are serious accusations, since they concern POGO allegedly funding the candidacy of the VP, and drug money allegedly funding the candidacy of VP Sara.”
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