House set to approve 2026 budget bill on second reading

THE HOUSE of Representatives is expected to approve the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 on second reading on Friday, a lawmaker said on Thursday.

- Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio Reporter

The House subcommittee on Budget Amendments Review is set to present the final revisions to the proposed General Appropriations Act for 2026 to the plenary for second reading approval on Oct. 10, Lanao del Sur. Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong said.

“We expect that some individual amendments will be introduced, especially from the minority bloc,” Mr. Adiong, a vice-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, told reporters in mixed English and Filipino.

“After we approve all the amendments, including that of the recommendations of the Budget Amendments Review subcommittee, then we would go next week for the [budget bill’s] third and final reading,” he added.

The subcommittee, created to enhance transparency in the budget process and publicize changes to the spending bill, finalized its proposed revisions on Wednesday.

Amendments include further increased funding for the Education, Health and Agriculture departments.

Congressmen sought to raise the Education department's allocation for new classrooms by P35 billion to P63.05 billion from the original P28-billion proposal.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing, who chairs the Committee on Appropriations, said the budget hike would fund the construction of an additional 25,000 government school classrooms amid a shortage.