Unprogrammed appropriations ‘constitutionally valid’ — DBM

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January 8, 2026 | 2:56pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) defended the existence of unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the 2026 budget, saying it abided by the Constitution.

House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Caloocan Rep. Edgar R. Erice, along with Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila M. de Lima, filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to void the UA in the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The minority lawmakers argued that the UA provides the government license to allocate funding for projects without an identifiable source of funding.

In a statement on Thursday, January 8, the DBM said it respected the right to seek judicial remedies but maintained that the UA in the 2026 budget is legal.

“The DBM maintains its position that the UAs under the FY 2026 General Appropriations Act are constitutionally valid. As previously upheld by the Supreme Court, the UA is a standby appropriation that may only be released upon the occurrence of clearly defined fiscal conditions and [is] subject to strict validation and control mechanisms. It is not a lump-sum fund nor a blank check for spending,” the DBM said in a statement.

The UA for the 2026 budget currently stands at P150.9 billion—the lowest since the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The UA saw a significant increase, however, with allocations under the Marcos administration reaching P807.16 billion in 2023.

In essence, the UA are standby allocations.

They may only be accessed once the government exceeds its revenue targets.

While not technically part of the total budget sum, the UA reveals the government’s priorities in expenditures once excess funds are generated.

In the 2026 GAA, Marcos vetoed P92.5 billion worth of UA items.