Amid a national energy emergency, government response to the oil crisis is expected to accelerate spending in the first half of the year, reversing a slump in infrastructure expenditures last year in the aftermath of the flood-control corruption scandal. According to the Department of Budget and...
BEYOND BUDGET Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. On March 23, 2026, I had been conferred a Special Recognition Award during the opening ceremony of the Government Procurement Policy Board-Technical Support Office (GPPB-TSO) Trainers’ Renewal and Onboarding Summit. I could not attend...
The Marcos Jr. administration’s chief economic manager assured on Tuesday, April 7, that the Philippine government has enough resources to tackle the oil crisis head-on, given an improving fiscal position with rising revenues coupled with prudent spending on public goods and services. “Our...
Vice President Sara Duterte cautioned Filipino families to prepare for more difficult economic conditions in the coming months, citing rising fuel costs and increasing prices of basic goods, while urging households not to compromise on education spending. In her speech at the Rambakan Festival in...
Government agencies accelerated their spending efficiency in the first two months of the year, burning through cash allocations at a faster clip than in 2025 despite slight contraction in total fund releases. Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), published on Monday, April 6,...
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, March 31, announced that the Philippines has officially joined the Governance Committee of the School Meals Accelerator (SMA), marking a major step in strengthening the country’s school feeding programs and addressing learner nutrition. DepEd said...
The Department of Education (DepEd) will roll out its largest School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) in June 2026, targeting 4.63 million learners nationwide as part of a major push to improve student nutrition. In a statement issued on March 26, DepEd said the expanded feeding program is backed by a...
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released over ₱60 billion for the nation’s infrastructure program, particularly to fast-track transport systems. The DBM has released ₱16.5 billion to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to settle due and demandable accounts...
BEYOND BUDGET Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. March 27 is special because it holds two stories that are deeply personal to me: The story of Muslim women and the story of a peace we once only hoped for. Muslim Women’s Day: Strength that endures For those who may be unfamiliar, March...
The Department of Education (DepEd) is rolling out its largest-ever School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) for School Year 2026–2027, allocating a record P25.6 billion to combat student hunger and improve learning outcomes. In a statement issued Tuesday, March 24, DepEd said the expanded program is...
Senator Risa Hontiveros has pressed the government to ensure that more public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and transport cooperatives—even those not considered “poorest of the poor”—will receive state emergency aid. I n a letter dated March 19, Hontiveros urged the Department of Budget...
Senator Risa Hontiveros has formally filed the bill seeking a P52.8-billion supplemental budget to fund the expanded subsidies for vulnerable sectors affected by the ongoing oil crisis. In filing of Senate Bill No. 1986, Hontiveros said it is imperative to address the limited amount of available...
