The Senate has approved livestreaming of all stages of the 2026 national budget deliberations to avoid last-minute funding increases. All budget documents and meetings, including bicameral conference committee meetings, will be posted on the official website for public viewing.
Under the agreement, the complete document from the agency's request, National Expenditure Program (NEP), Senate and House versions, to the final reconciled version will be released online. Also included are BP 201 forms, General Appropriations Bill (GAB), bicameral committee reports, and transcripts of meetings. There will be a comparative matrix that will show increases, decreases, and movements of funds in each program and project.
The House will also implement five reforms in the approval and implementation of the ₱6.973 trillion national budget for 2026. These include the elimination of the “small committee,” opening the budget conference to the public and media, inviting civil society and the private sector to hearings, strengthening the oversight function for real-time project monitoring, and prioritizing agriculture, infrastructure, education, health, and national security.
According to NEP 2026, with a budget of ₱6.793 trillion (22% of GDP), the fund will increase by 7.4% compared to this year. A larger budget will be allocated for education, health, social protection, and food security to strengthen the economy. For the first time, the education budget will reach the UNESCO recommendation of 4% of GDP, which is equivalent to ₱1.224 trillion or 16.6% of the total fund.