Bicam restores unprogrammed funds to P243 billion

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December 21, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Despite earlier assurances from lawmakers that unprogrammed appropriations (UA) would be scrapped, the bicameral conference committee yesterday agreed to restore the standby funds closer to the House of Representatives’ proposal of over P243 billion.

In the Senate-approved General Appropriations Bill, unprogrammed appropriations were reduced to P174.55 billion – P68.66 billion lower than the House-approved allocation of P243.22 billion. This cut initially signaled a move to scale back the controversial funds.

As deliberations entered their final phase, however, lawmakers reversed course. The bicameral committee not only reinstated the UA to the House level but also approved a slightly higher amount.

From the House-approved allocation of P243.2 billion, the bicam raised the UA to P243.4 – an increase of about P178.1 million.

Unprogrammed funds are standby appropriations that may only be released once the government generates excess revenues or secures additional foreign loans.

Defending the move, Senate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian said that the 2026 UAs were already considerably reduced compared to previous years.

The executive branch initially proposed a UA of P249.989 billion in the 2026 National Expenditure Program, down from P363.42 billion in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Earlier this year, the standby funds became controversial following reports from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism that the UAs were a major funding source for flood control projects now under investigation for alleged corruption.

Vowing to prevent misuse next year, Gatchalian disclosed that the Senate has fully defunded the P60-billion lump-sum “Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Programs,” which was originally earmarked for flood control and other projects under the UA.

Lawmakers further said safeguards are in place to limit the UA to allowable programs, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization program.

“I can guarantee to our constituents that this (UA) will no longer be abused for flood control. This will already be a targeted program. There are guidelines and rules in place to prevent the funds to be diverted to flood control,” Gatchalian said.

Oversight

Aside from the restoration of the UA, the bicam also agreed to revive Congress’ oversight role over government spending by convening the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures (JCOCPE), a powerful body that has not met for years despite its broad mandate.

Gatchalian disclosed the move yesterday, adding the Senate would also strengthen its own monitoring of key government projects once the budget is enacted.

The proposal to reconvene the JCOCPE resurfaced during the third day of the bicameral conference committee deliberations on the 2026 national budget last week, when Sen. Loren Legarda raised the idea.

While House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan moved to include a special provision in the 2026 General Appropriations Act formally convening the joint panel, the motion was not acted upon.

Gatchalian said the committee could still be convened through the standing committees of Congress, even without a specific budget provision.

“Even if it was not formally acted upon – sometimes there are many discussions and formal action gets overlooked – we can convene it through the standing committees, the committee on finance and the committee on appropriations,” Gatchalian told radio dwIZ.

“That committee is very powerful, but to my recollection it has not been convened for a long time, if ever. That is why it should be revived,” he added.

Calls to strengthen congressional oversight have grown following repeated findings of irregularities in major infrastructure and assistance programs, particularly flood control projects and lump-sum funds. — Neil Jayson Servallos