House Members Leila de Lima, Edgar Erice Question UAs in 2026 National Budget
LEILA DE LIMA
– The
Mamamayang Liberal
Partylist Representative and House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Edgar Erice are set to file a petition against the 2026 national budget.
Last January 5, President Bongbong
Marcos signed the 2026 national budget amounting to P6.79 trillion
. The ceremonial signing was held at the Malacañang Palace and several officials of the Marcos Jr. administration were present at the event.
Screengrab from YouTube/Bongbong Marcos
The Palace previously claimed that Marcos Jr. spent working Christmas holiday for the review of the proposed 2026 national budget approved by the bicameral conference committee. The President reportedly wants to see the difference between the original allocations in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the bicam-approved budget proposal.
On the first week of 2026, the country operated on a reenacted budget. Amid the flood control mess in the country, the bicam approved a budget for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that is more than P300 billion lower from the original proposed fund in the NEP.
Despite the lowering of the 2026 budget for the DPWH, the department stills gets the second biggest budget among the key departments in the government. The bicam approved to give the public works department P530.9 billion.
Photo Courtesy of The Manila Times
Here are the 2026 budget for the different key departments in the government as approved by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.:
Department of Education — P1.015 trillion
Department of Public Works and Highways — P530.9 billion
Department of Health — P448.1 billion
Department of the Interior and Local Government — P310.5 billion
Department of National Defense — P310.0 billion
Department of Agriculture — P297.1 billion
Department of Social Welfare and Development — P270.2 billion
Department of Transportation — P141.0 billion
Department of Labor and Employment — P73.6 billion
Judiciary — P70.6 billion
Screengrab from YouTube/Bongbong Marcos
Government Counterpart for Certain Foreign-Assisted Projects: P35.77 billion
Budgetary Support for Government Owned and Controlled Corporations: P6.895 billion
Insurance of Government Assets and Interests: P2 billion
RACE Program (Automotive Industry Competitiveness): P250 million
CARS Program (Automotive Industry Support): P4.32 billion
Payment of Personnel Services Requirements: P43.245 billion
Amid the claims of the Marcos Jr. administration that the 2026 national budget is allegedly clean, several House members are questioning the presence of unprogrammed funds in the government’s fund for next year. Among those who have questions are former Senator and
Mamamayang Liberal
Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Edgar Erice.
Based on a
post
Previously,
Malacañang spoke on the side of the Marcos Jr. administration over the 2026 national budget
recently-signed by the President.