2026 National budget: Headlines hit the big numbers

THE SUBMISSION of the MARCOS administration’s PHP6.793-trillion 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) on August 7 grabbed headlines, its historic size duly highlighted, a budget consistent with constitutional requirements and “ready to execute.” From PHP6.352 trillion in 2025, the increase once again placed education at the top of allocations, with due emphasis on infrastructure spending and support for social services.

Budget making as an annual task is easily reduced to a rote exercise, and reporting follows suit. Journalists recorded the numbers along with reactions from public officials, politicians, and experts from civil society.

But the media shirked the task of comparative analysis of current allocations to previous expenditures. While some reports did take a closer look, coverage did not examine whether the proposed budget actually matches the country’s most urgent needs. 

DPWH and the flood control question

The PHP854.3-billion allotted for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its flood-control projects was immediately criticized. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he would move to “zero out” allocations for flood projects that have not been effective. Other legislators pointed out that despite massive funds, Metro Manila and many provinces still suffer from disastrous floods. 

The press recorded these statements, but did not refer to the Commission on Audit (COA), which has repeatedly flagged delays, cost overruns, and questionable contracting in DPWH projects.

Inquirer.net reported on Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste’s call to reallocate a portion of the flood-control budget to build much-needed classrooms, stressing that billions spent on projects of questionable impact could instead ease shortages in public education infrastructure. This was a rare example of coverage that connected flood-control allocations to the broader question of unmet social needs — an angle often missing in reports that simply echoed official statements.

Confidential funds: Same story, little clarity

Reporting on the budget, media noted that the budget included controversial Confidential and intelligence funds (CIF), pointing out that the Office of the President (OP) continues to receive the lion’s share of these special resources. 

CIFs are especially problematic because they cannot be scrutinized in the same way as other funds can. Agencies are not required to present detailed spending reports, and COA has limited power to audit them. Journalists highlighted opposition statements questioning this imbalance. But there were no reports into the rise of CIFs over the years, how these funds have been used, and what safeguards exist to prevent abuse.

Education: Promise vs. Priority

The DBM emphasized that education remains the top budget priority, consistent with constitutional requirements. Media reported that the education sector receives the largest slice of the proposed 2026 budget at PHP1.224 trillion. This includes PHP928.5 billion for DepEd, PHP134.9 billion for SUCs, PHP33.9 billion for CHED, and PHP20.2 billion for TESDA.

But media coverage revealed gaps between the promise and reality. GMA News and The Philippine Star reported that the proposed allocation for education and health is “not ideal,” quoting DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, who admitted that fiscal limits constrain social spending. Both said that while allocations for education, health, and social protection were increased, they remain below the spending levels recommended by international bodies.

Social aid politics: Where did the ayuda go?

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) still runs other programs such as the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) and AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation). But the budget for a special program — Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP, which was designed for households not covered by 4Ps, has disappeared from the budget. 

Other mainstream outlets reported AKAP’s removal, and all of the media mentioned the social cost of its removal for families who previously relied on the subsidy, but Rappler stood out for explicitly highlighting its political use during elections. 

Public criticism of insertions 

“Insertions”—changes made by lawmakers after the DBM submits the NEP — also surfaced. Rappler pointed readers to the PHP142.7 billion in insertions found in the 2025 budget, much of which is going to infrastructure projects in congressional districts.

For its part, ABS-CBN News picked up the sharp warning from the People’s Budget Coalition: that lawmakers inserted a staggering PHP200-billion in budget items into the 2025 General Appropriations Act at the last minute, bypassing transparent scrutiny. The coalition urged a more open budget process for 2026, emphasizing that such late amendments undermine accountability and accelerate the erosion of public trust. 

Limited use of expert views  

Economist JC Punongbayan has repeatedly warned that huge infrastructure allocations, unprogrammed funds, and vague social spending make the budget prone to inefficiency and pork-barrel abuse. But while news outlets occasionally cite his comments, they rarely build full analyses around them. His warnings end up as soundbites instead of springboards for deeper reporting.

Other experts have also weighed in. Diwa Guinigundo, former Bangko Sentral deputy governor, reminded in BusinessWorld that the NEP was cut down from an initial PHP10.1-trillion request, reflecting the government’s struggle to prioritize spending. He urged the media to move beyond the “theatrics” of budget debates and focus on whether funds are spent effectively.

Reporting on the proposed national budget proposal requires the media to review the problematic issues in the past year, engaging in an accountability check of how well legislators have weighed the real needs of the country. 

Otherwise, budget legislation is empty of meaning, a textbook exercise that is out of touch with the difficulties of public life, the poor state of infrastructure, and the absence of amenities that afflicts our country.