Manila: Speaker Faustino 'Bojie' Dy III on Monday hailed the enactment of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) as a genuine "People's Budget," vowing strict congressional oversight to ensure public funds are spent lawfully, efficiently, and without corruption. The leader of the House of Representatives made the assurance after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law the PHP6.793-trillion national budget during a ceremony at Malaca±ang.
According to Philippines News Agency, Dy emphasized that the signing of the budget marks the beginning of rigorous oversight by Congress to ensure every peso is spent as approved. He described the 2026 GAA as an inclusive, transparent, and accountable budget prioritizing the Filipino people. The budget aims to create jobs, strengthen education, expand healthcare, and ensure food security, reflecting the President's directive for responsible use of public funds.
The 2026 budget notably invests in key social sectors such as education, health services, and social protection while maintaining fiscal discipline. Dy highlighted that reforms and milestones introduced in the budget process mark a turning point in public fund deliberation and approval. For the first time, bicameral conference committee deliberations were livestreamed, and the traditional small committee was replaced with the Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSC) for transparent and collective amendment reviews.
Education receives significant attention in the People's Budget, with the 2026 GAA allocating PHP1.34 trillion, marking the highest education allocation in Philippine history. This allocation exceeds the 4 percent international benchmark for education spending. Furthermore, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education program will be fully funded for the first time since 2017, benefiting 2.4 million students across over 100 state universities and colleges.
Public health also receives a substantial boost, with total health sector funding reaching a record PHP448.12 billion. This funding will expand Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) benefits and support zero-balance billing for indigent patients in government hospitals. Dy assured that Congress will collaborate with the Executive Branch for the smooth and timely implementation of the budget while exercising strict oversight to prevent corruption.
Dy emphasized zero tolerance for corruption, ensuring that public funds are utilized for the benefit of the people. He vowed that there will be no leakages, shortcuts, or excuses, affirming that the people's money should serve the public.
