SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on Wednesday vowed that the House of Representatives will make sure every peso in the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 has a clear purpose and delivers concrete benefits to the people.
“Bawat piso, may pinaglalaanan; bawat gastusin, dapat may pakinabang sa tao,” Romualdez said during the ceremonial turnover of the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the House of Representatives.
The proposed budget, equivalent to 22 percent of the country’s GDP, is 7.4 percent higher than this year’s P6.326-trillion outlay.
It allocates bigger funding for education, healthcare, social protection, and food security, in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of a “Bagong Pilipinas.”
Romualdez said the NEP is “more than numbers on paper” and represents the government’s plan to turn vision into reality through infrastructure, affordable food, educational access, quality healthcare, and safe communities. He emphasized that the budget process must be transparent, inclusive, and worthy of public trust.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the 2026 spending plan tightens allocations while making “historic investments” in key sectors.
The education budget will reach P1.224 trillion—16.6 percent of the NEP—meeting UNESCO’s recommended 4 percent of GDP for the first time and exceeding its Education 2030 benchmark.
Healthcare funding will increase by 23.6 percent, with larger PhilHealth subsidies, expanded medical aid for indigent patients, and higher hospital budgets—up 20.2 percent in Metro Manila and 26.1 percent in the regions. Funds will also be provided for Bukas Centers to bring affordable healthcare closer to communities.
To boost food security, the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies will get P239.2 billion, with the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund tripled and the National Rice Program budget raised by 38 percent.
Infrastructure spending will remain at 5–6 percent of GDP under the Build Better More Program, alongside P87.33 billion for the digital transformation of government services.
Other major allocations include P55.2 billion for labor and employment programs, P299.3 billion for the Department of National Defense, P287.5 billion for the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and P67.9 billion for the Judiciary.
