MAKABAYAN bloc lawmakers said the proposed 2026 national budget still contains “pork” allocations as they moved to reject the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report.
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co criticized the bicam-approved budget, citing unprogrammed appropriations and government programs they said perpetuate “patronage politics.”
“Sa kabila ng mga pangakong reform budget ito, ay nananatiling intact pa rin ‘yung pork barrel system. ‘Yung sistema ng mga alokasyon sa mga kongresista at maging sa mga senador ay nandyan pa rin, both para sa infrastructure at para sa ayuda,” Tinio said.
“Nandyan pa rin ang pork barrel system na nakita natin. May translations ito sa education and sa health. Bakit kailangan pang lumapit ng isang nangangailangan ng serbisyong medikal sa isang pulitiko para makakuha ng guarantee letter, when itong pondong ito ay pwedeng iaccommodate sa programs at directly iassign sa isang ospital for example,” he added.
Co questioned why scholarship assistance continues to be coursed through politicians instead of centralized programs.
“Bakit kailangan pang lumapit sa mga politiko for scholarships, when pwede naman may UNIFAST (Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education)? Mayroong centralized funds na pwedeng ma-accommodate yung iba’t ibang pangangailangan ng higher education students,” she said.
Tinio urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto unprogrammed appropriations, confidential and intelligence funds, and allocations for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, saying these are not provided for under the Constitution.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña also raised concerns over unprogrammed appropriations, noting that items flagged as problematic were either retained or expanded during bicam deliberations.
“‘Yong inaasahan natin ng mga problematic items na sana ay tatanggalin, iku-cure, babawasan o tatapyasan pagdating ng bicameral conference, aba either napalampas o nadagdagan pa,” Cendaña said, citing what he called “patronage programs” such as AICS, TUPAD, and the MAIFIP Program.
ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said she is prepared to bring the issue of unprogrammed appropriations before the Supreme Court if necessary.
“We are dismayed and alarmed by the increased budget for UA (Unprogrammed Appropriations) in the Bicam. We firmly believe this is unconstitutional,” De Lima said.
“We will continue to question the legality of unprogrammed appropriations, even if we must bring the matter before the Supreme Court,” she added.
Minority lawmakers also called on the House and Senate to release full bicam documents, including transcripts and summaries of approved amendments, to ensure transparency in finalizing the budget.
“Hamon ito sa House and Senate, paano maa-assure ang publiko na transparent maging dito sa finalization. So kailangan ilabas nang buo ‘yung mga transcript ng bicam sessions. Tapos mayroong report, summary ng mga napagkaisahan sa bawat session ng bicam para makita natin kung ‘yung napagkaisahan ay reflected doon sa magiging final report,” Tinio said.
House Appropriations Committee Chairperson Mikaela Suansing denied claims that the bicam outcome resulted from House concessions and expressed confidence that the 2026 national budget would not be reenacted.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a House concession. We’ve been working together very hard over the past few days to get to a budget that both Houses will be proud of,” Suansing said.
“We can now confidently say, ngayong tapos na ang bicam, there will be no re-enacted budget,” she added.