Makati city: The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is optimistic that the deliberation on the 2026 national budget would remain on track amid a leadership change at the House of Representatives (HOR).

According to Philippines News Agency, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman expressed hope during a United Arab Emirates-organized forum in Makati City that the new HOR leadership would adhere to the existing legislative calendar. She emphasized the importance of avoiding a re-enacted budget and confirmed that the budget deliberations were proceeding as planned.

The leadership shift came after Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez resigned as House Speaker to promote accountability and transparency following controversies related to infrastructure projects. Subsequently, Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino 'Bojie' Dy III was elected as the new speaker with 253 votes.

Pangandaman noted that the DBM would keep an eye on how the House deliberations might address the reduction in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget and its potential impact on infrastructure spending targets. She mentioned that the DBM had not yet calculated the budget's effect on the target GDP percentage, indicating that they would wait to see the outcome of the deliberations.

The budget for infrastructure includes both 'hard' and 'soft' components, such as school building construction. Earlier, the DPWH had removed at least PHP255 billion from its proposed budget for locally-funded flood control projects.