Manila: The Senate has extended its session calendar to provide lawmakers with additional time to review the proposed 2026 national budget. Senate President Vicente Sotto III reaffirmed the chamber's policy against what he termed 'blind ratification.'
According to Philippines News Agency, during the regular session on Monday, the Senate approved a motion by Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri to move the resumption of session from Dec. 22 to Dec. 29 and the adjournment from Dec. 23 to Dec. 30. This extension aims to facilitate the completion of the bicameral conference committee report and the preparation of the enrolled bill for the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
Senate President Sotto stated that the Senate would not proceed with ratification without an almost enrolled or fully enrolled copy of the budget. He emphasized the need for the final measure to be "very clean" and devoid of any insertions, to avoid a repeat of the previous year's experience of ratifying a budget based on a summary.
Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian highlighted that the extension would allow for the printing, reconciliation, and proofreading of the draft enrolled bill. This document will be shared with senators and bicameral conferees before the planned ratification on Dec. 29. He noted that this process aligns with transparency measures being implemented for the 2026 budget.
Sotto underscored that under the current Senate leadership, the chamber would not permit any rushed approval of the budget without full visibility of its contents. Majority Leader Zubiri added that the calendar extension is necessary to give senators adequate time to study the enrolled copy and ensure it accurately reflects what was approved by the bicameral conference committee. He mentioned that the House of Representatives had adopted a similar adjustment.
Sotto addressed concerns about potential delays in the budget signing, stating that a brief reenactment of the previous year's budget would not be problematic if the review extends into early January.
The Senate expects to ratify the proposed 2026 national budget on Dec. 29 once the enrolled bill is finalized and distributed to all members.
