THE national government is banking on the P1.307-trillion programmed spending for the fourth quarter to bolster economic growth amid a combination of headwinds.
In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the government has about P1.307 trillion left to spend until the end of the year.
‘Our programmed spending for the fourth quarter will boost yearend economic growth and thus impact overall economic growth for the year,’ Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.
Of the P1.307 trillion, the DBM noted that a significant portion would be earmarked primarily for social services.
This includes P2.74 billion for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF), which covers the Quick Response Fund (QRF) replenishment and Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT), in expectation of possible typhoons in the fourth quarter.
Furthermore, the DBM said the amount released for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would be allocated to cover major social protection commitments, including the balance for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) worth P9.52 billion, which provides conditional cash transfers to qualified beneficiaries.
The DBM said it also released P7.03 billion for payouts for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program and P5.77 billion for the social pension benefits for indigent senior citizens. Moreover, P4.83 billion was released for the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) program to support vulnerable sectors.
Under the Department of Agriculture (DA), the agency noted that P7.33 billion was earmarked for the National Rice Program, while P2.47 billion for the National Livestock Program.
The DBM added that P2.29 billion was allotted to the National Food Authority (NFA) for its buffer stocking requirement and targeted rice distribution program to ensure the availability of rice.
Meanwhile, the agency said it allocated P203.82 billion to the Department of Education (DepEd), which includes personnel services worth P153.71 billion to cover the yearend benefits of teachers and personnel, including year-end bonus; and P11.4 billion for the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) adjustments.
The DBM also earmarked P23.62 billion for the operations of schools, while P32.79 billion was allotted for government assistance and subsidies.
The agency said it released P31.78 billion to State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to support its programs such as the Free Higher Education (FHE) and Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), as well as the funding of personnel benefits and requirements of SUCs.
For sustained employment, the DBM earmarked P4.89 billion to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to support its livelihood and emergency employment programs, including the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) Program, Government Internship Program (GIP), DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), and the Adjustment Measures Program (AMP).
The agency added that it also allotted P4.3 billion to the Department of Health (DOH) to support the operational expenses of hospitals in Metro Manila and P9.96 billion for regional hospitals.
Another P787.95 million was also released for subsidies under the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and another P179 million for the Cancer Assistance Fund for continued assistance to reduce the financial burden of patients seeking medical treatment.
For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the DBM earmarked P528.09 million for the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) programs such as the OFW Hospital, the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailan (AKSYON) Fund, and the National Reintegration Center for OFWS (NRCO), with P321 million allotted for the Emergency Repatriation Program of the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA).
The DBM noted that government employees, including teachers, will receive yearend benefits as included in the FY 2025 GAA amounting to P63.7 billion.
As of October 27, 2025, the DBM said it has already released Notices of Cash Allocations (NCAs) worth P1.133 trillion out of the P1.307 trillion program for the fourth quarter.