Manila, Philippines – The House of Representatives Committee on appropriations approved on Monday the proposed budget of the Office of the President (OP) for Fiscal year 2026.
During Monday’s budget deliberations, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin headed the OP team to defend and explain the allocations of the P27,362,355 billion proposed fund of the office next year.
For 2026, the Office of the President’s funds will be divided into two major allocations—for the office’s regular programs, as well as its locally-funded projects.
Aside from its regular programs, 64.33% of the proposed budget will be allocated to fund the country’s hosting of the 2026 ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings.
After the presentation and some questions, the House Committee on Appropriations decided to terminate the OP budget deliberations via institutional courtesy.
It has become a tradition for both Congress and Senate to swiftly approve the budget proposal of the OP and of the Vice President without many questioning through the effect of institutional and parliamentary courtesy.
Before the institutional courtesy, Bersamin had some clarifications over his recent statements claiming that the House deflects corruption and anomaly issues towards the executive branch.
Bersamin defended that those statements were not intended to create tension between the two branches, rather a clarification on its institutional separation.
With a 56-5 vote, House Committee on Appropriations terminated the OP budget hearings.
Following the deliberations, Bersamin had a courtesy call with House Speaker Martin Romualdez, where the lawmaker argued that addressing related issues is part of the transparency process.
Romualdez also reiterated its support to the initiatives of the President and its Cabinet to strengthen the budget process and ensure that the funds will be allotted rightfully.
“We recognize that there are issues that must be addressed, and we begin by putting our own House in order. Walang exempted—kasama kami diyan,”
”At the same time, we stand firm in our partnership with the Executive, under the leadership of the President, to strengthen the budget process and to make sure that government resources are used wisely and well,”
“This is not a clash of institutions. It is a partnership in accountability and service,” Romualdez said.
PROGRESSIVE GROUPS CONDEMS ‘PARLIAMENTARY COURTESY ON OP BUDGET
On the other hand, some progressive groups have criticized the results of the OP’s budget deliberations.
ACT teachers Partylist Representative to Deputy Minority leader Antonio Tinio opposed the motion for institutional courtesy, citing that this is not the time for it, especially after the president declared war against corruption.
Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) also condemned the move, describing this as House’s abandonment of their duty to ensure transparency in the budget process.
The organization also claimed that the Palace arranged House leadership to protect the OP from public scrutiny.
“𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙘 𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮. 𝙄𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨’ 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙭𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚,” Roland Simbulan, CenPEG Chairperson.
Gabriela Partylist similarly described the president as an all cry, no show leader, saying that he is only engaged in his corruption war on camera but cannot defend his own proposed funds before the forum.
“Acting sa harap ng camera, absent sa harap ng taumbayan. Walang malinaw na paliwanag kung saan napupunta ang pondong ito, at sa halip na sagutin ng Malacañang ang tanong ng taumbayan, Congress itself is shielding the President from accountability.
“Ito ay malinaw na pag-iwas sa accountability lalo na sa panahong galit na galit na ang mamamayan sa korapsyon sa gobyerno,” Former Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas said.—Mia Layaguin, Eurotv News