While Malacañang agreed that the proposal of Senator Panfilo Lacson to opt with reenacted budget rather than a graft-ridden one was a good suggestion, President Marcos remains confident that there is still ample time to pass the proposed 2026 national budget. "Maganda po ang suhestiyon ni Senator...
The bicameral conference committee has approved the proposal to earmark P500-million in financial assistance for Related Learning Experience (RLE) in the 2026 national budget. As it is, students in allied health sciences programs will receive the much-needed financial assistance once the final...
BEYOND BUDGET Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. It fills my heart with profound gratitude that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved the increase in the base pay and subsistence allowance of all military and uniformed personnel (MUP) through Executive Order (EO) No. 107...
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) on Tuesday, December 16, welcomed the historic livestreaming of the bicameral budget deliberations, saying the move marks a significant step toward greater transparency and public participation in the national budget process. In a...
Malacañang is not considering the thought of resorting to any "plan B" or a reenacted budget amid a "deadlock" on the bicameral deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget. "Ayaw namin isipin ang plan B. Sana maipasa ang 2026 budget (We do not want to think of a plan B. We hope the 2026...
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri on Tuesday, Dec. 16, expressed full support for the Senate panel in the Bicameral Conference Committee (bicam) amid a reported deadlock over proposed cuts in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget. In an interview, Zubiri...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday, December 16 floated the possibility of the government working on a reenacted 2026 national budget. Lacson stressed this amid another issue that surfaced, this time involving farm-to-market road (FMR) projects that were not...
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, December 16 called on the Senate contingent to consider allocating around P15-billion to local government unit (LGU) hospitals so they properly implement the zero balance billing (ZBB) program. This P15-billion will come from the P51-billion fund approved by...
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday, Dec. 16, acknowledged gaps in its construction materials data that forced a reset of stalled budget deliberations. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon apologized to the Senate Committee on Finance for submitting incomplete Construction...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson reiterated his push for clear and foolproof safeguards in the P6.793-trillion proposed budget for 2026 to prevent abuse and political patronage, especially in at least three contentious issues. In particular, Lacson said there must be no political...
Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada questioned the sudden appearance of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon at the bicameral conference committee meeting tackling the 2026 national budget, saying it is “unprecedented." “For me that was an unprecedented move by the...
The third day of bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed ₱6.793-trillion 2026 national budget was suspended on Monday, Dec. 15, amid a deadlock over the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) budget. Senate Finance Committee Chair Sherwin Gatchalian said the...
