The House and the Senate delegates to the bicameral conference committee on the 2026 national budget sign the conference committee report this Sunday afternoon, December 28.

This marks the end of the bicam deliberations. Both chambers will separately ratify the proposed budget document on Monday, December 29, before President Marcos signs it in the first week of January.

"Ito pong budget na ito ay pinaghirapang buuuin ng Kongreso at Senado, at ginawa namin ang lahat para ito ay maging transparent, accountable," House appropriations chair Mika Suansing said.

"Ito po ay kauna-unahang gagawin natin na ang reconciled enrolled copy ay naimprenta na, naipakita na sa ating mga kasamahan para po makita rin nila ang ating pinag-usapan," Senate finance committee chair Win Gatchalian added. "Itong reconciled version ay ia-upload pagtapos ma-ratify bukas... sa ating transparency portals."

Last-minute appeals from government agencies — such as the DOTR, DPWH, and DA — plagued the bicam. It also approved unprogrammed funds worth P243 billion.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signs the 2026 budget into law — it's the first budget to be signed this late. Marcos has, in the past, signed the budget before the previous fiscal year's end.

He says: "Today we commence with the most difficult task — to ensure the proper execution and instituting true accountability."

For reference, the bicam agreed to allocate P243 billion for unprogrammed appropriations https://www.rappler.com/philippines/bicam-approves-unprogrammed-appropriations-budget-2026/?_thumbnail_id=3100078

Under the Marcos administration, unprogrammed appropriations have surged. In the first approved budget of his term in 2023, the UA reached P807.16 billion, more than triple the P251.64 billion in 2022. The amount stood at P731.4 billion in 2024 and P531.7 billion in 2025.

In press briefing, Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto there were 10 items under unprogrammed appropriations, of which three* were vetoed by President Marcos. UA items that were NOT vetoed include: support for foreign assistance, AFP modernization, risk management (for PPPs).

Which items were vetoed — and which stayed — in the 2026 unprogrammed appropriations

Retained:

1. Support for foreign-assisted projects

2. Revised AFP Modernization Program

3. Risk Management Program

Vetoed:

1. Budgetary support to government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs)

2. Fiscal support arrearages under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program

3. Comprehensive insurance coverage for strategically important government assets and interests

4. Revitalizing the Automotive Industry for Competitiveness Enhancement (RACE) Program

5. Philippine government counterpart funding for foreign-assisted projects

6. Public health emergency benefits and allowances for healthcare and non-healthcare workers

7. Prior-years’ local government unit (LGU) shares

The following items, meanwhile, were removed during the bicam deliberations. (Editor’s note: Rappler previously mentioned that the following items were vetoed by the President. This has been corrected.)

1. SAGIP

2. Refund of the Service Development Fee for the Right to Develop the Nampeidai Property in Tokyo, Japan

3. Marawi siege victims’ compensation program

Will Malacañang appoint new ICI commissioners after the resignation of ex-public works secretary Babes Singson and Rossana Fajardo?

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said that there’s no information yet from the Palace. She said that the work of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure will continue. 

Andres Reyes is the ICI chairman is left as the lone commissioner. 

The Department of Agriculture is set to launch in February a transparency portal for farm-to-market road projects implemented from 2021 to 2025. Approved projects in the 2026 GAA will be added soon in the portal, said Cristy Polido, director of Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering.

The portal, accessible to the public, contains project details such as location, contractor, cost, geotagged photos. It has a mechanism where concerned individuals can report status of FMRs in their areas.

UPDATE. The Philippines imported 3.37 million metric tons of rice in 2025, according to data from the Bureau of Plant Industry. This is a 30% decrease from total rice imports of 4.8 million metric tons in 2024. The government suspended rice importation from September to December 2025.  

Good. We didn’t experience a rice supply shortage during the four‑month suspension of rice imports. Perhaps we can try again, this time for five months. 🤩

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Executive Secretary (ES) Ralph Recto and Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Secretary Elaine Masukat told him that there is no Cabinet revamp amid speculations of a shakeup.

“Sinabi ni ES sa’kin na wala naman saka si PMS Secretary sinabi rin sa’kin na wala naman [revamp],” Angara said in a chance interview.

Angara added that he did not discuss the matter with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who led the Department of Education’s launch of the Project AGAP.AI on Friday, January 9.

What are DPWH’s priorities in 2026?

a. “Massive” road repair and maintenance, including the Maharlika Highway, the Philippines’ longest road network, stretching from Luzon to Mindanao

b. EDSA rehabilitation

c. Completion of unfinished roads and bridges, including:

- San Agustin Bridge (target completion in 2026)

- Candaba Bridge (along the Baliwag–Candaba–Sta. Ana Road, Pampanga)

- Aganan Flyover in Iloilo

- Tigasao–Pacifico Bridge in Siargao

d. Fixing gaps in flood control projects ahead of the rainy season

e. Budget planning reforms

- no more allocables

- no more palakasan system

- projects must be endorsed by local development council

- budget formula will be based on the needs of a place

The nitty-gritty of this budget reform is being ironed out. the specifics is expected to be discussed in the coming weeks. 

f. Procurement reforms

-Beneficial ownership disclousure

-BAC Composition Reform

-Forefeiture of Securities

g. Strengthening the DPWH transparency portal, including the publication of machine-readable documents