P4.7-T investment plan eyed for 2026 budget proposal

The government is looking to include 4,240 priority programs and projects (PAPs), with a total investment requirement of P4.71 trillion, in the 2026 national budget proposal to sustain public investments, especially in infrastructure and regional development.

- By BEN ARNOLD DE VERA

According to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), an update to the Marcos administration's Public Investment Program (PIP) 2023-2028, as of March, showed that 55 government offices and 225 attached agencies are seeking funding of as much as P19.7 trillion for 5,538 PAPs deemed as priorities of the Marcos Jr. administration.

The six-year PIP, updated every year ahead of national budget preparations for the succeeding year, contains the rolling list of PAPs to be implemented by the national government, government-owned and/ or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), and other national government offices during the medium term, coinciding with the current President's term in office.

For 2026, the updated PIP aims to roll out the said 4,240 PAPs, of which the implementation of 930 PAPS is already ongoing.

Belonging to the so-called Tier 1 of the national budget, these ongoing projects need a budget totaling P3.19 trillion.

The smaller chunk of next year's PAPS would belong to 3,310 new and expansion initiatives, with a total investment requirement of P1.52 trillion.