The ₱6.793 trillion 2026 national budget is set for approval on its third and final reading on Tuesday, December 9, based on the Senate Committee on Finance’s schedule.

According to Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, the Senate has had to observe the three-day rule as the budget, or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), is not a certified urgent bill, reported RH 28 Raymund Dadpaas.

The final approval will be done through a nominal or roll-call vote, and senators may explain their votes.

Sotto added that the next year’s budget was “very trim,” given the strictness of deliberations. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Committee on Finance, agreed that all efforts were focused on fixing the 2026 budget.

The committee reduced or omitted budgets for programs that could be managed and funded by certain agencies. Aside from withholding funds for flood control projects next year, unprogrammed funds were also slashed. In recent years, these were the funds from which billions supposedly for flood control projects were drawn.

Included is a large portion of the Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Programs (SAGIP), which amounted to ₱60 billion for just infrastructure. This used to cover projects the administration deemed fit to implement as the need arose.

In addition, the ₱60 billion for the Department of Finance (DOF) will be reallocated for PhilHealth. Moreover, ₱40 billion has been allotted for the recovery of provinces heavily affected by calamities such as earthquakes and typhoons this year.

Following the approval of the national budget, the Bicameral Conference Committee or Bicam will convene at the Centro de Turismo Intramuros on Thursday.