Congress, DPWH face lower budgets in 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Congress is expected to face a significant budget cut next year, based on the emerging 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) obtained by The STAR.

Documents show that the budget of Congress, comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate, is set at P27.23 billion, a 46.4-percent reduction from its 2025 budget of P50.8 billion under the General Appropriations Act.

An official of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) told The STAR that budget cuts are generally due to various reasons.

“When we make budget cuts, either the project is recurring, it seems like it’s finished or non-recurring. Also, the utilization rate is low. You request a lot, and then you don’t use it. And we know that you have other sources of funds. So, use that first. That’s why we cut it,” the official said.

According to the document, Congress’ overall budget decrease is specifically due to non-recurring congressional changes and adjustments in fiscal year 2025.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) may face a budget cut of more than P230 billion, or a 21.5-percent decrease.

The proposed allocation for the DPWH is P854.3 billion, down from P1.09 trillion this year. Despite the reduction, the department would still receive the second-largest allocation among government agencies in 2026.

Earlier, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the DPWH’s proposed reduction was due to the department’s already “high” allocation for the current year, noting that several projects still need to be completed before additional funding can be provided.

Another agency set to experience a budget decrease is the Commission on Elections.

Set to take the biggest cut, the agency may face a 66.6 percent reduction to P11.8 billion, from this year’s P35.5 billion, largely due to the significant funding boost it received last year in preparation for the 2025 National and Local Elections.

The DBM official said changes to the proposed allocations may still occur following the presentation of the emerging NEP to President Marcos.

Anchored on the theme “Nurturing a Future-Ready Generation to Achieve the Full Potential of the Nation,” the 2026 national budget aims to prioritize human capital development through investments in quality education, health care and workforce upskilling.