Speaker Faustino Dy III on Wednesday assured the public that the ₱249 billion in unprogrammed appropriations under the proposed ₱6.793-trillion 2026 national budget are lawful, transparent and strictly regulated, which can only be tapped when government revenues exceed targets.
“The unprogrammed appropriations are reserve funds of our government. This is not included in the total of the proposed budget for next year which is worth ₱6.793 trillion,” Dy told a radio interview.
He said the amount—equivalent to around 3.6 percent of the FY 2026 General Appropriations Bill—is well within the five-percent ceiling set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
These funds, he explained, may only be tapped if there are excess revenues, new taxes or finalized foreign loan-assisted projects.
The House has already removed infrastructure projects like roads, bridges and flood control from the unprogrammed list and reallocated the funds to education, health and social protection, according to Dy.
He gave assurances that the unprogrammed appropriations will not be subject to abuse or misuse, noting that the House has imposed multiple layers of safeguards. “We have prepared control measures,” he said.
Dy said agencies are required to first submit a special budget request, along with supporting documents detailing how the funds will be used, before any amount can be released.
He added that the law mandates a quarterly report on how the unprogrammed appropriations are utilized, while Congress will form an oversight committee to monitor fund implementation and ensure that every peso is spent properly.
The Speaker said the House devoted long hours to ensure that the 2026 spending plan is transparent and reform-driven.
“I hope that through this new budget, people can see how hard our colleagues in Congress have worked — we’ve been working until dawn. We really made sure to come up with a transparent and accountable budget proposal for next year,” said Dy.
The House leader maintained that unprogrammed appropriations are a necessary fiscal tool that allows the government to respond flexibly to unexpected revenue increases or pending foreign-assisted projects.
He said the funds are used when revenues exceed targets or for projects from lenders like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank that await approval from agencies such as the National Economic and Development Authority, ensuring implementation once requirements are met.
Dy reiterated that the House welcomes scrutiny and public participation as part of its continuing drive for transparency.
