Senate OKs budget on 2nd reading

THE PHILIPPINE SENATE on Thursday approved on second reading the P6.793-trillion budget for 2026, slashing funds for the Public Works department and cutting deeply into unprogrammed appropriations as lawmakers confront intensifying public anger over corruption allegations in the government's spending process.

- By Adrian H. Halili

The chamber’s move represents one of its most forceful responses yet to weeks of public criticism over opaque budget items associated with a widening scandal involving lawmakers and officials accused of siphoning billions from flood control funds.

“The complete details, including the line-by-line amendments and all pertinent attachments, will be made available on Saturday, Dec. 6, prior to the approval on third reading of the fiscal year 2026 General Appropriation Bill,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who heads the Committee on Finance, told senators on the floor.

The record spending plan was approved after 46 days of committee and plenary debates, held under the shadow of a corruption controversy that has gripped Congress since whistleblowers alleged large-scale diversion of infrastructure funds.

Senators Alan Peter S. Cayetano and Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva voted against the measure. Mr. Cayetano said the proposal failed to support rural development and retained questionable allocations.

“This is such a great opportunity for a game-changer budget, yet it does not really promote rural development, and the unprogrammed funds are still there,” he said, adding that the minority bloc would continue to work with the majority in the bicameral conference committee.