SEVERAL lawmakers from Davao have voiced strong opposition to the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for fiscal year 2026, citing unresolved corruption issues, executive interference, and what they described as a continuing pattern of opaque and questionable budget practices that mirror controversies surrounding the 2025 national budget.
Davao City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte voted against the proposed budget, saying he could not, “in good conscience,” support a spending measure plagued by unanswered questions, uneven allocations, and insertions that risk repeating past abuses.
In a statement issued after Congress ratified the budget, Duterte stressed that accountability for alleged corruption in the 2025 budget has yet to be established, raising concerns that the same problems could resurface in the 2026 spending plan.
“The mastermind behind the corruption of the 2025 budget has not even been jailed yet — yet here we are again, with a new budget in 2026 ready to be plundered,” Duterte said. “That is not reform. That is repetition.”
His remarks echo growing public frustration over recurring allegations of misuse of public funds, pork barrel-style insertions, and last-minute amendments made behind closed doors. In recent years, controversies involving infrastructure funding, social service allocations, and agency budgets have fueled skepticism about whether genuine reforms have taken root in the country’s budget process.
Duterte emphasized that transparency should be a fundamental requirement before approving the national budget, not something demanded only after public backlash erupts.
“A national budget should serve the people, not reward impunity. Transparency must come before approval, not after public outrage,” he said.
He also questioned whether some lawmakers were underestimating the public’s ability to scrutinize government actions, delivering a sharp rebuke in Filipino: “Ganun na lang ba ka baba ang tingin natin sa pag-unawa ng mga Pilipino? Wala na ba kayong kabusugan? Kung hindi kayo marunong mahiya, sana naman marunong tayong maawa sa taumbayan.”
Duterte further likened the budget process to an unchecked system vulnerable to abuse, saying, “This jar would be filled with cookies, but no one in this House has any self-control.”
Despite his “no” vote, Duterte clarified that he is not opposing development or essential public spending.
“My vote is not against development—it is for transparency, fairness, and responsibility,” he said, underscoring that his stand was rooted in principles of accountability and fiscal discipline.
Another Davao lawmaker, Representative Isidro Ungab, also formally opposed the budget, citing what he described as executive interference during the bicameral conference committee deliberations.
Ungab raised alarm over drastic funding cuts to major foreign-assisted infrastructure projects and that steep reductions in the DPWH’s Foreign-Assisted Projects (FAPs) budget could delay key infrastructure projects.
Ungab explained in his letter that the Senate’s Third Reading slashed FAPs from P70 billion to P17.7 billion, a 75 percent cut from the revised level, and far below the NEP’s P100 billion.
Major transport projects were hit hard: the Metro Manila Subway lost P24.9 billion, leaving P20.4 billion, while the North-South Commuter Railway dropped 62 percent to P28.8 billion.
Ungab also criticized the persistent reliance on Unprogrammed Appropriations, which remain at P243.4 billion, with funds shifted from programmed projects.
“I vote NO on the approval and ratification of the Bicameral Conference Committee Report on the FY 2026 National Budget for the following reasons:
First, the Bicameral Conference Committee (Bicam) is a purely legislative exercise between the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, the Bicam allowed the intervention of the Executive Branch, particularly the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways,” he said.
“While there was an admission of errors in the computation of the Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD), the revised matrix was never projected or presented during deliberations. Hence, there is no assurance that the recomputed list of projects is accurate or that the totals correctly foot. What happens if errors are discovered again later on?” he added.
Ungab also flagged concerns over the politicization and inefficiency of health-related programs, particularly the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP). He warned that these issues could further erode transparency, weaken fiscal responsibility, and undermine public trust in government institutions.
“Finally, I remain unconvinced that the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients or MAIFIP will not be abused or politicized despite assurances from the Bicameral Conference Committee. Several issues continue to surround the MAIFIP,” the official clarified.
“Beyond the guarantee letter - which remains vulnerable to political influence and interference the program itself reinforces a fragmented and cumbersome system of medical assistance,” he added, noting that patients often have to navigate multiple government assistance programs including, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), each with its own procedures, offices, and forms, all requiring proof of financial hardship and inability to pay for medical expenses.
Ungab further stated that while the Universal Health Care (UHC) law and PhilHealth continue to broaden their reach and improve service efficiency, patients should not have to contend with cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles to access care.
Ideally, according to Ungab, they should be able to focus on their recovery, confident that PhilHealth and UHC provide financial protection. Rather than routing funds through programs like MAIFI, resources could be more effectively used if directed straight to PhilHealth or healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, Representative Harold Duterte of the Puwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat (PPP) Party-list echoed similar sentiments, describing 2025 as “a year of shocks and revelations” and warning that the country now appears to be grappling with what could be the largest corruption scheme in its history.
“While there were gestures toward transparency — such as holding the bicameral conference online — the same process saw key sessions delayed or effectively stalled, particularly when the discussion turned to the DPWH budget,” he said.
According to Rep. Duterte, the FY 2026 budget should have been an opportunity to directly confront lingering questions from the previous year, clarify disputed figures, and restore public trust. Instead, he said the process appeared to reflect “business as usual.”
“Dili kaya sa akong konsensya nga mobotar pabor sa 2026 budget, sa kadaghan sa mga pangutana hangtod karon wala pa gyud klaro ug tarong nga tubag,” he said, adding that approval is not an option “until accountability is real and transparency is complete.”
Despite the objections raised by Davao-based lawmakers, the Senate on December 29 ratified the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 after its approval by the House of Representatives. Senator Win Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said the spending plan prioritizes human development, with significant allocations for education, health care, and agriculture, sectors widely seen as critical to long-term economic growth and social stability.
Gatchalian confirmed that three senators particularly Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, and Imee Marcos did not sign the bicameral report. Two minority senators, Rodante Marcoleta and Robinhood Padilla, also voted against ratification.
Gatchalian submitted the Conference Committee Report on House Bill No. 4058, describing the budget as people-centered, with major allocations for education, health, agriculture, social protection, and transparency measures.
Education remains the top priority, receiving P1.35 trillion, or 4.4 percent of GDP, funding initiatives such as reducing classroom backlogs, expanding the School-Based Feeding Program, and providing textbooks for every learner.
On the other hand, several senators, including Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and JV Ejercito, voted in favor but “with reservations.”
Pangilinan flagged concerns over provisions allowing the Department of Agriculture to enter into agreements with the DPWH for the P33 billion farm-to-market roads program, citing potential implementation issues.
Under the proposed budget, the government aims to strengthen public education systems, expand access to health services, and boost agricultural productivity amid ongoing economic pressures and global uncertainties. Supporters of the measure argue that timely passage is essential to ensure continuity of government programs and services.
The bill is set to be transmitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for signing, which is scheduled on January 5, 2026. Until the budget is enacted, a reenacted budget will be implemented at the start of the year, allowing government operations to continue based on the previous year’s appropriations. DEF