Not even a single centavo from unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the House-approved P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 shall be spent for flood control projects, according to House Committee on Appropriations chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing.
Suansing was referring to the P243.2 billion worth of unprogrammed funds contained in the recently approved General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed budget measure for next year at the lower chamber.
“A very important point: no flood control projects, roads, or bridges will be funded through the Strengthen Assistance for Social Programs,” Suansing told reporters in a press conference.
The SASP, which has an allocation of 45 billion, was formerly called the Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure Program (SAGIP). It was one of the items identified having to be utilized through UA in the 2026 GAB to “support government programs.”
Suansing also clarified that UAs were not lump sum funds, contrary to what some people perceive.
“Some people think that UA are lump sum funds. This is not true because the UA has listed purposes and line-item programs),” she explained.
The 2026 GAB approved at the House received 287 affirmative and 12 negative votes, as well as 12 abstentions. Challengers to the bill said that Congress must approve a version of the measure that has zero allocation to UA that is under the control of the executive department.
“The practice of having unprogrammed appropriations is tantamount to undue delegation of legislative power to the executive. Only the legislature has the power to appropriate,” said House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima earlier.
“In the past, billions have been authorized to be released without adequate congressional scrutiny and sufficient safeguards,” De Lima added.
