The ratification of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA)—now waiting for President Marcos Jr.’s signature—arrives at a moment when MOST Filipinos seek fiscal discipline, humane outcomes, and a budget that lives up to its promises. The nearly P6.8 trillion plan is not merely numbers on a page. It is the material expression of our collective priorities: the health of our people, the education of our children, and the livelihoods of farmers who feed us. It is also a test of whether governance can be transparent, accountable, and oriented toward service rather than personal ambitions. 2026 is coming near, and so we must demand a budget that begins anew with integrity, sufficiency, and measurable impact.
Budget discipline shall not be a constraint. It shall be apromise to deliver results for every Filipino—especially the sick, the young, and the rural poor. A New Year’s frame is traditionally a time when households set goals and look for steadier footing after the missteps of the prior year.
In public life, the analogous moment is when a budget that governs health, education, and basic services is debated, enacted, and implemented with the public’s confidence in mind.
Yet in recent months, we have watched delays in PhilHealth sin tax remittances since 2023, missed statutory shares from PCSO and PAGCOR since 2019, and the persistence of unprogrammed funds that invite patronage. How I wish we are really getting closer to sealing those gaps and to committing to a budget that delivers real, living benefits for us Filipinos.
When people say that the budget is more than a ledger, it means it is a social contract. It id wishing for the Philippines to be a nation that recognizes education and agriculture as profound public goods. When Senate finance panel chair Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian stated the budget priorities—health, education, agriculture—I found it worthy, but priorities require proof.
In 2026, can we measure whether every peso moves toward clearer, verifiable outcomes? Can we ensure processes are transparent enough that citizens can see where money goes and how it changes lives? The answer must be YES. New beginnings demand public trust, earned through consistent performance and clear, accessible reporting.
Health is the most obvious crucible for trust in any budget. Their promise must translate into access, quality, and sustainability. The lived reality of Filipinos—long waits, crowded public hospitals, shortages of essential medicines, and unequal access—cannot be deferred another year. A new year demands not merely how much we spend, but how effectively we save lives, reduce suffering, and protect the most vulnerable. It should begin with strengthening primary care to bring basic care into communities before conditions escalate into emergencies. I find it mostly important in the early management of chronic diseases that otherwise drain the system.
The budget for education should also be evaluated by outcomes, not slogans. The aim is not to flaunt inputs—purchased textbooks, new computer labs, or brand-new laptops—but to demonstrate tangible improvements in educational attainment, competitive compensation, and meaningful transitions into work or further study. In this framing, investments in education are not expenses but capital formation for the nation’s future.
And yes, the budget must also deliver on policy priorities that empower smallholder farmers while modernizing the sector in a way that is inclusive and sustainable. A climate-smart agricultural sector anchors food security, sustains rural livelihoods, and reduces vulnerability to shocks that come with weather and global markets. The budget should be explicit about helping smallholders access credit, insurance, inputs, irrigation, storage, and access to fair markets.
The goal is to connect our dear farmers to the value chains that turn crops into stable incomes.
Yet even as we insist on concrete gains, we must recognize the existing political weather and the temptations that accompany high-stakes budgets. Sen. Ping Lacson’s reservations—warning that the national purse must not be weaponized for political ends—are a necessary counterweight. A budget that can endure scrutiny is a budget that serves the people.
Unprogrammed funds and discretionary allocations are the most visible vulnerabilities to political exploitation. The GAA should minimize room for hidden pork-barrel projects that distort priorities. If the GAA can establish such metrics—clear targets, transparent auditing with independent oversight by the COA, and mandatory accessible quarterly reporting—it will become a living document that invites public judgment rather than stupid stately silence.
It is very disturbing that many of our kababayans still tolerate processes that look pristine while outcomes remain stubbornly poor after money has been channeled to the wrong places or to the wrong hands. After a year shadowed by flood-control scandals that exposed seams in our government, let’s work on 2026 that chooses outcomes over rhetoric and public service over political theater. If money is the state’s promise, then performance must be the receipt. Let every peso be stamped with a date, a metric, and a responsible name. If we measure by lives touched, not lines on a page, we will find our true wealth in healthier mornings, better schools, and farms that feed our future. Because a budget that pretends to help but hides the receipts is not generosity—it’s a magic trick. WE DESERVE A BUDGET THAT DARES TO DELIVER.|
