THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) confirmed Thursday that zero funds have been released under the 2026 budget provisions recently struck down by the Supreme Court.
Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon assured lawmakers during Senate Finance subcommittee hearings on DBM’s proposed P3.1-billion budget for 2027 that no disbursements were charged against Special Provisions 1(a) and 1(b) of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
‘So far, we haven’t charged anything against 1(a) and 1(b) for 2026,’ de Leon said, adding that only foreign-assisted projects under unprogrammed funds have seen releases.
The Supreme Court recently invalidated key portions of the 2024 and 2025 national budgets after Congress added funds beyond the President’s recommended National Expenditure Program-including a P449.5-billion hike in 2024 unprogrammed funds and P17.99 billion for DPWH’s Special Road Fund in 2025.
In the same decision, the High Court declared Special Provisions 1(a) and (b) of the 2026 GAA unconstitutional, while setting clearer ground rules for future compliance.