The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives on Friday called on the Supreme Court to rule on a 2024 petition questioning the legality of unprogrammed appropriations (UA) included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“It is high time the Supreme Court rules on the legality of the UA after it has been abused over several budget cycles,” the group said.
Makabayan said the petition, filed by Bayan Muna, seeks to have the standby appropriations declared unconstitutional.
“As it is, UA has resulted in a parallel budget that has no ceiling and is discretionary on the part of the president, making it the largest presidential pork,” the bloc said.
The call came a day after Caloocan City 2nd District Representative Egay Erice and Mamamayang Liberal Partylist Representative Leila de Lima filed a separate petition challenging UA provisions in the 2026 GAA.
For this year, unprogrammed funds exceeded ₱150 billion after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. vetoed ₱92.5 billion worth of UA items.
Under current rules, UA projects may be funded if revenue targets are exceeded, additional borrowings are secured, or new taxes are imposed.
Critics and budget watchdogs have warned that unprogrammed appropriations, released at the discretion of the executive, have been vulnerable to abuse, including alleged diversion to questionable flood control projects.