Eliminating unprogrammed appropriations reduces the possibility of pork barrel abuse Manila: Using his constitutional right to veto “inappropriate” items before signing a bill into law (Republic Act 12314), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cut ₱92.5 billion ($1.56 billion) from the ₱6.793 trillion ($113 billion) national budget for 2026. When the president signed the 2026 budget on Monday in front of important Cabinet members and senior members of both Houses of Congress, education emerged victorious.
At the signing of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) in Malacañang, President Marcos declared, “The 2026 national budget shall sustain our momentum in education reforms, in health protection, in food security, in social security, and in job creation.”
Keep track of the distribution of education
The largest DepEd budget ever, ₱1.015 trillion (including retirement and life insurance premiums), was released by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, igniting revolutionary support for educators and students across the country.
Dissection: ₱1.015T Total: DepEd + affiliated agencies’ highest amount in prior years Infrastructure Boom: Building new classrooms and school buildings Student Lifeline: Learner subsidies, textbooks, and school-based nutrition programs Tech update: Laptops for educators and learners Increased teaching and non-teaching employment, ongoing training for teachers and school administrators, and unprogrammed appropriations
The veto hammer: why?
In order to prevent any pork barrel abuse following the scandals of 2025, the president used his veto power to target the so-called “Unprogrammed Appropriations” (UA, extra monies distributed only if fresh revenue arises).
In the midst of climate problems and graft revelations, Marcos proclaimed unprogrammed monies to be “no blank checks,” mandating transparency to limit discretionary expenditure. “Real change could no longer wait,” he declared after the signing of Malacañang.
Significant victories after the veto
Education: ₱1.345T (first rank) for classrooms and teachers. Health: ₱448B + ₱129B PhilHealth provides support for universal healthcare. Military: LGUs/disaster funds up; full pay/allowance retention. Agriculture: ₱297 billion for farmer assistance and farm roads. Social Services: By 2028, ₱270 billion will be used to combat single-digit poverty. According to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the Senate eliminated the ₱80 billion “Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Programs” (SAGIP) from Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) in order to circumvent President Marcos Jr.’s ₱92.5 billion veto.
Five Crucial Points
SAGIP = abuse magnet: Known as a “source of corruption,” particularly flood control pork, ₱86.93 billion in 2024 alone concealed dubious lump sums. The Senate’s preemptive strike: Prior to Marcos exercising his veto authority, Gatchalian’s team, the chair of finance, purged it during bicam. No Programmed Cuts: Only UA items (5/7 of the original House budget) were affected by Marcos’ veto; the Senate improved other items. Clarification on non-cash: Regional Action Center (CARS) is merely “book-entry”; tax certificates are released instead of actual cash. Watchdog pledge: For transparency, citizens and taxpayers should keep an eye on the ₱6.793-trillion rollout in 2026.
