THE House of Representatives will focus on passing a ‘clean budget’ for 2026, the speaker said, underscoring that this remains the chamber’s priority despite political noise and controversies over alleged flood control projects and questionable budget insertions.
Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III said the chamber is considering extending the plenary debates on the proposed 2026 national budget for another week.
The deliberations were originally scheduled to conclude this week, with October 10 set aside for the period of amendments to House Bill (HB) 4058, or the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
The budget was originally set to complete plenary deliberations on the 2026 budget proposals of key agencies this week, with October 10 reserved for the period of amendments to House Bill (HB) 4058, or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) of 2026.
‘Our priority in Congress is to pass a clean budget so we can transmit it to the Senate,’ Dy said.
The Speaker added, ‘For now, we will hold consultations, and we may even extend for another week to ensure the proper passage of next year’s budget.’
On Wednesday, plenary debates will cover the proposed budgets of the Office of the President, other executive offices, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of Transportation.
Deliberations on Thursday will include allocations for Congress, the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Migrant Workers, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Discussions will also tackle support for the government corporate sector, lump-sum funds, and the Turno En Contra.
According to the schedule provided to the media, Thursday marks the last day of plenary debates for government agencies. Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is set to adjourn for a break on October 10.
‘That has not been thoroughly discussed yet, but if it becomes necessary to extend for another week, then that’s what we will do. Most likely, we may really extend by another week,’ said the speaker.
Once approved by the House, the GAB will be transmitted to the Senate for review. A bicameral conference committee will later be convened to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget.
Paragraph 7, Section 25, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution provides that the general appropriations of the preceding year shall be deemed as re-enacted if both houses of Congress fail to pass the general appropriations bill for the ensuing year before the end of the present year.