THE House of Representatives on Monday, December 29. 2025, ratified via viva voce vote the conference committee report of the bicameral conference committee convened to harmonize the disagreeing votes on House Bill (HB) 4058, or the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
The move, along with the Senate ratification of the same document, paves the way for the formal transmission of the said measure to the President for his review and approval.
The President is set to sign the proposed 2026 budget into law in the first week of January 2026.
For Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, the passage of the GAB is one of the most important duties of the House of Representatives under the Constitution.
“Isa sa pinaka-mabigat ngunit pinakamahalagang tungkulin (na) ipinagkatiwala sa atin sa Saligang Batas – ang pagpasa ng pambansang budget,” Dy said.
In his address to his fellow lawmakers prior the Christmas break, the Speaker highlighted that the 2026 proposed national budget, along with the process it went through, is a pioneering piece of legislation.
“This budget is historic—not only because the process was transparent, but because the priorities were clear. It is a budget shaped by love for country, a deep understanding of our people’s realities, and genuine compassion for our kababayan.”
The 2026 GAB proposes P6.7 trillion to support government operations next year.
It is the first GAB to provide funding support to the education sector equivalent to that is 4.1% of the gross domestic product (GDP), above the international benchmark.
Other sectors prioritized under the 2026 GAB are health and agriculture.
The fund increases for the identified priority sectors were sourced from reductions in the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), following the flood control projects controversy.
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