MANILA, Philippines – Tiniyak ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez na ang bawat sentimo ng 2026 proposed national budget ay pakikinabangan ng taumbayan.
Ang pahayag ay ginawa ni Romualdez kasabay ng naging pahayag ni Pangulong Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. sa kanyang State of the Nation Address(SONA) na kanyang ibabasura ang anumang panukalang General Appropriations Bill (GAB) na hindi nakaayon sa National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Sinabi pa ng Pangulong Marcos na handa siyang magkaroon ng reenacted budget kung kinakailangan.
Bilang tugon, sinabi ni Romualdez na makaaasa si Pangulong Marcos at ang publiko na walang delay at walang drama sa ipapasang budget.
“The President’s message was clear: make the government work better for the people. As Speaker, I am committed to making sure the budget reflects that—every centavo must go where it’s needed most,” pahayag ni Romualdez.
“No delay, no drama. The House will do its job with focus and compassion. Because at the end of the day, that budget isn’t about institutions. It’s about lives,” dagdag pa nito.
Ani Romualdez, batid niya ang matagal nang panawagan para sa transparency lalo na sa bicameral conference committee kaya naman ipinapanukala niya na buksan sa publiko ang Bicam.
“No backroom haggling. The people have every right to know how their money is being spent. If we want trust, we have to earn it, starting with an open bicam,” paliwanag ni Romualdez.
Siniguro ni Romualdez na sa pagbuo ng 2026 budget ay kanilang tututukan ang pagpopondo sa agriculture, healthcare at employment.
“We need to put food on the table, ensure no family is crushed by hospital bills, and create jobs that restore dignity and hope. These are not abstract goals; they are urgent, real, and long overdue,” ani Romualdez.
Sa ilalim ng batas, ang Malacanang ang nagsusumite ng panukalang budget o NEP, ito ay aaralin ng Kongreso at magpapanukala ng budget na tatawagin naman na GAB, kung sasang-ayunan ni Pangulong Marcos ang panukalang budget sa ilalim ng GAB ay isasabatas ito na tatawagin naman na General Appropriations Act.
May kapangyarihan ang Pangulo na hindi aprubahan ang GAB at dito ay magkakaroon ng reenacted budget, o ang pag-apruba sa budget ng nakaraang taon. Gail Mendoza
