Restores most of DPWH’s budget cut, hikes PhilHealth funding
A new spending plan for 2026 is now assured after the bicameral conference committee ironed out differing provisions in the proposed 2026 national budget, including the restoration of more than half of the slashed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The bicam also hiked the allocations for PhilHealth and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, as well as restored the funding of the Office of the Vice President.
The bicam wrapped up its work at around 2:22 a.m., reconciling provisions of the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill and effectively avoiding the possibility of a reenacted budget in 2026.
““The important thing is that all the safeguards are here in this budget. the flood control (fiasco) will not be repeated, the ghost projects will not be repeated, the projects that cannot be found or substandard will not be repeated,” said Senate panel and Committee on Finance chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian.
“I’m confident that no provision in the budget will be vetoed,” he added.
House contingent head and Committee on Appropriations chairperson Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing described the conclusion of the deliberations as historic, as it marked the first time that national budget bicameral proceedings were livestreamed.
“We can now confidently say, now that the bicam is over, there will be no re-enacted budget,” Suansing added.
Gatchalian said the signing and ratification schedule was adjusted to allow time for reconciliation, balancing, and printing of the bicameral report.
He said the bicam report is expected to be signed on Dec. 28, ratified by both chambers on Dec. 29, and signed into law by the President on the same day.
Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is confident that a “sound” 2026 national budget will be signed into law before the end of the year.
“The president remains confident that the 2026 national budget will be signed properly,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
The bicameral conference committee reduced the budget cut of the DPWH from P45 billion to only P20.7 billion after applying updated construction cost adjustments across thousands of infrastructure projects.
“We applied these to all 20,000 projects, resulting in savings of P20.7 billion. I am confident to say that there are no more overpriced materials in this budget,” Gatchalian said.
Of the savings, P16.2 billion were realigned to address a shortfall in the national government’s contributions to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
The remaining P4.2 billion was transferred to the NDRRMF to support communities affected by typhoons and earthquakes.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon assured the public the department will use the funds provided by Congress properly and responsibly.
“I believe, the President believes, and Congress believes that what matters most is that the budget is clean and implemented correctly,” Dizon said.
“Even if the budget has decreased, all of that will go to our fellow citizens for the right projects that will help them,” he added.
The bicam also restored the Office of the Vice President’s proposed P889 million budget for 2026, setting aside a House-approved budget slash.
