Government overshoots 2025 budget

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January 5, 2026 | 12:00am

Nearly P9 billion unprogrammed appropriations

MANILA, Philippines — The national government exceeded its 2025 budget by P8.98 billion through additional unprogrammed appropriations, according to data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Based on the allotment releases data, the budget department’s disbursement reached P6.335 trillion by end-November last year, slightly exceeding the P6.326 trillion programmed under the previous year’s General Appropriations Act.

The pace of disbursement slowed, with the government reaching 100 percent release only by the end of November 2025, compared to September 2024 when the budget department had already fully disbursed the 2024 budget allocations.

Budget Assistant Secretary Romeo Matthew Balanquit earlier said the DBM is exercising “extra caution” in releasing funds, following the flood control issue, while stressing the importance of sustaining a business-as-usual approach to support economic activity.

The additional P8.98 billion in unprogrammed appropriations brings the total to P169.68 billion by the end of November, up from the existing P160.7 billion.

Former budget secretary Amenah Pangandaman earlier stated that the DBM’s legislative agenda includes placing a five-percent cap on unprogrammed funds in the proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP).

She previously explained that the release of unprogrammed funds responds to triggers, which include additional revenues to the government, noting that some programs from government departments and agencies are sometimes excluded because the budget is not prepared annually and is subject to cut-off dates.

By the end of November 2025, support to foreign-assisted projects accounted for the bulk of the released unprogrammed appropriations at P110.13 billion.

The Department of Public Works and Highways received the largest allocation at P58.84 billion, while the Department of Transportation followed with P30.7 billion.

Based on the General Appropriations Bill for the 2026 budget, lawmakers allocated P243.2 billion for unprogrammed appropriations, representing a decrease from the nearly P250 billion proposed in the 2026 NEP.

President Marcos is anticipated to formally sign the 2026 national budget into law during this week, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said.