Makabayan solon ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio is up in arms over the supposed transfer of over P43 billion in government personnel benefits from guaranteed funding to the uncertain and controversial unprogrammed appropriations (UA) under the 2026 national budget.

Tinio pointed to the ratified 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) report, which showed the transfer of P10.77 billion for salary upgrades and P32.47 billion for retirement and terminal leave benefits from the programmed Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) and Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF), both totalling P43.24 billion, into a new UA line item labeled “For Payment of Personnel Services Requirements".

This is especially worrisome to the House deputy minority leader since it subjects the crucial benefits to the availability of funds, which is what UA is in essence.

Pegged at a record-breaking P6.793 trillion, the 2026 GAB is expected to be signed by President Marcos on Monday, Jan. 5.

According to Tinio, the new UA line item was made in order done to make room for additional insertions in the lumpsum funds for local government units (LGUs), which have ballooned by over P63 billion.

“This is a brutal betrayal of our civil servants. Following the ratified bicameral report, the General Appropriations Act has deliberately turned the mandatory benefits of hundreds of thousands of government employees, including our teachers, as well as military and uniformed personnel, into a mere suggestion, subject to the availability of funds,” Tinio stated.

The GAB becomes the GAA once it is signed by the President.

“They have chosen to guarantee billions in new lump-sum ‘LGU pork’ under the Local Government Support Fund while putting the rightful compensation and retirement security of public sector workers on the chopping block,” Tinio said.

Tinio explained that transferring appropriations for these mandatory personnel benefits to UA means that their payment becomes subject to availability of funds, such as when government generates excess revenues.

“Mula sa tiyak na pondo dahil nasa regular or programmed budget, naging hindi tiyak dahil nilipat sa ‘standby’ or unprogrammed budget. Samakatwid ginawang alanganin ang pagbayad sa mga benepisyong ito,” he explained.

(From a definite fund because it was in the regular or programmed budget, it became uncertain because it was transferred to the ‘standby’ or unprogrammed budget. Consequently, the payment of these benefits was made precarious.)

Tinio warned that this scheme repeats the painful experience of the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for 2025, where Department of Education (DepEd) personnel and other employees have not received the full P20,000 amount due to alleged lack of funds.

“Ginawa na ito sa atin nitong 2025. Hindi pa binibigay ang buong SRI dahil sa kakulangan ng pondo. Ngayon, isinusugal na nila ang sahod at pensiyon natin para sa susunod na taon. Ito ay isang malinaw na patakaran ng pagpapabaya at pagsasakripisyo sa kapakanan ng mga kawani at guro,” he added.

(This was already done to us in 2025. The full SRI has not yet been given because of lack of funds. Now, they are gambling with our salaries and pensions for the coming year. This is a clear policy of neglect and of sacrificing the welfare of employees and teachers.)

The leftist solon further accused the administration of using personnel benefits as a human shield to protect the controversial UA from a presidential veto.

Widespread calls for the President to veto the entire UA have mounted following exposés on the unprecedented corruption involving UA-funded flood control projects in 2023 and 2024, which were plundered through overpricing and ghost projects.

“They are hiding behind the needs of teachers and civil servants to preserve a system of unprogrammed funds that has become a cesspool of corruption.

"Ilalagay ang pondo para sa mga guro, kawani, at maging mga sundalo at pulis na retirado sa UA, para gamiting pansalag sa mga kritisismo. They will say: 'Kapag tinanggal ang UA, hindi na mababayaran ang suweldo at pensyon ng mga kawani.' This is manipulative and cruel,” Tinio asserted.

(The funds for teachers, employees, and even retired soldiers and police will be placed in the UA, to be used as a shield against criticisms. They will say: 'If the UA is removed, the salaries and pensions of the employees can no longer be paid.')

Tinio reiterated his call for the President to veto the UA but with an unequivocal commitment.

“We maintain our call: Veto the [UA] in the 2026 GAB. However, this must be paired with an immediate committment from the executive to submit a supplemental budget at the earliest opportunity, specifically to restore the P43.245 billion for salary upgrades and retirement benefits.

"Huwag gawing hostage ang suweldo at benepisyo ng mga lingkod-bayan para protektahan ang isang tiwaling sistema (Do not make the salaries and benefits of public servants a hostage to protect a corrupt system). The people’s money must first and foremost go to the people’s servants, not to pork barrel and corrupt contractors,” Tinio concluded.