House minority hits unprogrammed appropriations

The P243.2-billion unprogrammed appropriations kept intact in the 2026 national budget approved on Monday by the House of Representatives might serve as a “blank check” for the administration, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan warned yesterday.

- DELON PORCALLA

“By parking these amounts under unprogrammed appropriations, we are effectively giving the executive a blank check worth almost a quarter of a trillion pesos, beyond the reach of full legislative oversight," Libanan said.

The 4Ps party-list representatives, who voted yes to House Bill 4058 (General Appropriations Bill of 2026) but "with reservations," said keeping unprogrammed appropriations including for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines would give the government untrammeled control over taxpayers' money.

On Monday, the House voted 287-12 for the approval of the P6.793-trillion budget program for next year.

"I urge that unprogrammed funds for the AFP modernization and foreignassisted projects be realigned to the programmed budget, where they can be properly scrutinized, itemized and monitored in accordance with the principles of transparency and accountability," he said.

"Worse, a portion of the appropriated budget for the Armed Forces of the Philippines would, in effect, become excess funds, allowing realignments and releases outside of congressional scrutiny," Libanan said.

Unprogrammed appropriations, he said, stood at P251.6 billion in 2022, P807.1 billion in 2023, P731.4 billion in 2024 and P363.4 billion in 2025.

"Thus, amounting to around P2 trillion in the last four budgets. Such bloating erodes fiscal discipline and opens the door to discretion and abuse contrary to the principles of responsible budgeting," he said.