Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Representative Leila de Lima vowed to continue questioning the unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the 2026 General Appropriations Bill, calling the increase by the bicameral conference committee “unconstitutional.”
“Ang dami na ngang red flag dahil nagamit sa maanomalyang flood control projects, maituturing na ngang unconstitutional, aba’y tinaasan pa ng Bicam ang budget ng Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA). Anyare?” de Lima said.
She expressed alarm over the UA budget, noting it rose from ₱174.55 billion in the Senate version to ₱243.4 billion after bicam deliberations.
“Just like the muted side discussions and long suspensions, we are dismayed and alarmed by the increased budget for UA in the bicam,” she said.
De Lima cited Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, emphasizing that without a definite revenue stream, Congress cannot constitutionally authorize such appropriations.
“Kung hindi matatanggal ang mga item dito dahil mahalaga daw ang mga ito, dapat ilagay na yun sa programmed appropriations. In the first place, bakit ilalagay sa wala pang pondo kung kailangan naman talaga ang mga proyekto?” she added.
De Lima suggested that any excess government collections should instead be channeled through a Special Appropriations Bill.
“We will continue to question the legality of unprogrammed appropriations, even if we must bring the matter before the Supreme Court,” she said.
“Hindi makatwiran at hindi katanggap-tanggap na patuloy na magamit ang pera ng taumbayan sa pwede na namang magamit sa katiwalian at kabulastugan.”