The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), chaired by Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, has approved the proposed FY 2026 National Budget at Php 6.793 trillion, equivalent to 22.0 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). This reflects a 7.4 percent increase from the FY 2025 budget of Php 6.326 trillion, reflecting the government’s commitment to fostering inclusive economic growth while maintaining fiscal discipline.
“Anchored on the theme, Nurturing Future-Ready Generations to Achieve the Full Potential of the Nation, the FY 2026 National Budget prioritizes human capital development by prioritizing investments in quality education, healthcare, and workforce upskilling,” Secretary Pangandaman said during the press conference following the 191st DBCC meeting.
“Complementing these are continued investments in the Build Better More Infrastructure Program and digital transformation, still aligned with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028,” she added.
The proposed FY 2026 National Budget further integrates key measures to enhance climate and disaster resilience, reinforce social protection systems, and deepen the devolution of basic services to local government units.
The Budget Chief noted that at the onset, the DBM received agency budget proposals totaling Php 10.101 trillion. However, given the limited fiscal space and the government’s commitment to gradually reduce the fiscal deficit over the medium term, the DBM undertook a rigorous evaluation process.
“With limited resources, we focused on prioritizing programs and projects that deliver measurable impact, aligned with our national goals, and are ready for implementation. We also carefully evaluated agencies’ absorptive capacity to ensure effective utilization of funds,” Secretary Pangandaman said.
Proposals under the Three-Year Rolling Infrastructure Program (TRIP) and the Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) framework were also given priority, according to the Budget Chief.
“By nurturing future-ready generations through coordinated policy implementation and strategic investments, the government is committed to reducing poverty to single-digit levels, creating quality jobs, safeguarding macroeconomic stability, and ultimately achieving our Agenda for Prosperity in the Bagong Pilipinas—even amidst global uncertainties,” the Secretary and DBCC Chairperson concluded.
The proposed FY 2026 National Expenditure Program is targeted to be submitted to Congress in August.
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