Record infra budget set for 2026

The Marcos Jr. administration will ramp up infrastructure spending in 2026, with a record P1.556 trillion set aside for its centerpiece "Build Better More" (BBM) program under the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget.

- BY BEN ARNOLD DE VERA

Budget documents showed that the infrastructure disbursements program for next year totaling P1.558 trillion—including subsidy, equity, and transfers to local government units (LGUs)—is higher than this year's total allocation of P1.513 trillion and 2024's actual P1.545 trillion spent on infra projects.

In a text message to Manila Bulletin on Wednesday, Aug. 13, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman confirmed that the 2026 infrastructure program is the highest to date.

The annual budget on public infrastructure development is projected to increase to new highs of P1.692 trillion in 2027 and P1.904 trillion in 2028.

But as a share to gross domestic product (GDP), the 2026 infrastructure program is equivalent to 5.1 percent of GDP, lower than the programmed 5.3 percent for 2025 and the 5.8 percent recorded in 2024.

According to the President's budget message, the administration targets infrastructure spending equivalent to five to six percent of GDP.