Malacañang has pushed back against Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno’s proposal to scrap the government’s unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the 2026 national budget, stressing that such funds are essential for responding to emergencies and urgent national needs.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said removing UA entirely would be impractical given the country’s operational and contingency requirements. “It seems that might not be possible. The government has many programs, and these funds can be used to address needs, especially during emergencies or urgent situations,” Castro said in Filipino.
She also clarified that unprogrammed funds are not freely accessible. “This isn’t spent recklessly. Even if this falls under UA or unprogrammed appropriations, it cannot be accessed immediately without the necessary documentation,” she added.
Diokno, in a privilege speech on Tuesday, raised alarm over what he described as the government’s “ballooning” unprogrammed appropriations, claiming that it had turned into a “parallel budget system” that could conceal questionable spending. “We cannot continue to treat the UA as a magic pot where projects are dumped without accountability,” the lawmaker said.
Under the proposed 2026 national budget, UA allocations amount to ₱250 billion, including ₱97.3 billion for foreign-assisted projects, ₱80.86 billion for government infrastructure and social programs, ₱50 billion for the Armed Forces modernization program, and ₱6.7 billion for health emergency allowances.
Diokno argued that these allocations represent “clearly programmed obligations” that should have been included in the regular budget instead of being hidden under UA.
