A group of education workers on Wednesday, January 7, branded the Marcos administration’s 2026 national budget as “Binigong Pilipinas,” criticizing what it said were misplaced spending priorities that favor "pork barrel" allocations over education, teachers’ salaries, and basic social...
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian rejected on Tuesday, January 6 insinuations that the 2026 national budget was crafted to include efforts to pursue the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. This, after Sen. Imee Marcos, in a video posted on her Facebook page, floated the possibility that the...
The Supreme Court can declare the contentious Unprogrammed Appropriations as unconstitutional, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said on Tuesday, January 6. Gatchalian made the remark following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s decision to veto P92.5-billion unprogrammed items when he signed...
Senators on Monday, Jan. 5, welcomed President Marcos ' move to veto almost P92.5 billion in the 2026 national budget under the unprogrammed appropriations (UA). Marcos signed the P6.793-trillion 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) in Malacañan on Monday. In a Viber message, Senate...
The Senate on Monday, Dec. 22, moved to amend its legislative calendar to give more time for the preparation, printing, and ratification of the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for fiscal year 2026. During the plenary session,...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Thursday, Dec. 18, extolled the efforts the Senate panel that participated in the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations on the proposed ₱6.793-trillion national budget for 2026. In a statement, Lacson praised its the Senate panel...
President Marcos will not certify as urgent the proposed national budget for next year as it is expected to be submitted for approval before Christmas, Malacañang said. "Hindi ngayon (Not now)," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Wednesday, Dec. 10, when...
Senator Loren Legarda reiterated her stance that funds allocated for Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) should remain with PhilHealth. Legarda made the statement in light of the Supreme Court’s decision directing the government to return the ₱60-billion it earlier took from...
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday outlined the Senate’s revised timetable for the passage of the proposed 2026 national budget, saying the chamber is still aiming to have the measure signed into law by December 29 despite disruptions caused by a weekend fire. In an interview on Monday,...
Senator Loren Legarda has called for full transparency on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation 's (PhilHealth) funding during the deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget, stressing that mandated subsidies must be properly allocated and released. In her interpellation on the...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said Saturday, Nov. 15 that former lawmaker Zaldy Co 's recent claims on social media will have to be properly authenticated--that is, made under oath or affirmed in the Philippine consulate of the country where he is now staying--for it to...
Senator Erwin Tulfo on Thursday, Nov. 13, called on the Senate to ensure that the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 has no “pork barrel” or discretionary funds allocated to lawmakers. The vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance pointed this out during the first day of...
