Reports indicate Senate cut funds for aid programs, says Puno

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s version of the proposed 2026 national budget supposedly slashed funding for the government’s social amelioration programs like assistance to individuals experiencing crisis and medical aid for indigents, Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said on Tuesday.

Puno, in an online interview, was asked about what had happened to some bills deemed to be a priority by the House leadership, to which he said that they, in the National Unity Party (NUP), for the meantime, will focus on the 2026 budget.

According to Puno, they have not received “good news” regarding the Senate’s version of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), as funding for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), and the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) were slashed.

READ: Educ sector may get additional P37-B for 2026 after sub-panel approves hike

“Our (NUP) priority for the next two weeks will be obviously the national budget, because we only have five session days left […] We’re not getting good news about what the Senate has decided, although we don’t yet have copies. We think that there are severe cuts into the soft projects of the different agencies, which we think is going to be very bad for the disadvantaged and the poor,” Puno said.

“Again, I’m only basing it on what we’re hearing, we still don’t have a copy of the budget […] we’re hearing that most, if not all of the soft projects have been removed, that would include the projects in DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), which would be the AICS, the TUPAD from DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment).  I understand even the MAIP, the Medical Assistance in the Department of Health has also been affected,” he added.

Puno said it would be best for the Senate to send a copy of its GAB to the House ahead of the bicameral conference committee meeting so that lawmakers can have the time to study the budget.

“So we’ll wait until we get a copy of the Senate version, the final version of the budget, which will then enter into the bicam.  But I’m a little concerned about what might happen, because apparently, certain agreements that they had entered into with our House leadership were not honored,” he said.

“So we will see, let’s wait to see what the House leadership will say about it, but frankly NUP is very concerned about this,” he added.

Regarding the Senate’s supposed cuts for public works, Puno said they have no qualms about that, especially since people have been clamoring for transparency in the wake of a massive infrastructure corruption scheme.

However, Puno stressed that the public will be affected by the reduction in infrastructure funding, as some discontinued flood control projects will make life harder.

“But you know, we understand the discomfort with public works. But on soft projects, at least the NUP, we are not going to take that sitting down,” he added.

The House’s version of the budget included reallocations of the P255.5 billion budget removed from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which were placed to different agencies — including the P60 billion subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, over P37 billion to the education sector, and over P22 billion for the construction of new classrooms, and the provision of school equipment.

READ: House amendments panel’s first realignment: Plus P32-B to DSWD ayuda

Aside from these changes, the appropriations panel also pushed for a P32.06 billion increase for the AICS.

INQUIRER has sought the side of key Senate officials, including Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate finance panel chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, regarding Puno’s claims.

Both has not yet responded as of posting time.

All eyes are on the budget process for 2026 after observers traced the infrastructure corruption scheme to insertions made in this year’s budget.  Currently, there are proposals to open the bicameral conference committee meetings, so that there would be greater transparency in each step of crafting the budget.

Incumbent Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III previously said that he backs the proposal to open the bicam, promote accountability in the budget process.

Calls for a more transparent budget came after different controversies, like the presence of blanks on the bicam report, which were revealed by Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab and former president Rodrigo Duterte early this year.

According to Ungab, the bicam report on the 2025 GAB was ratified despite it containing blanks.

Former Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo, who was then the acting chairperson of the House committee on appropriations, said that the blank items in the bicam report had exact figures already, insisting that the empty provisions were only left for final calculations.

Quimbo also said back then that it was the Senate committee on finance’s technical staff that prepared the bicam report on the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).  Furthermore, Quimbo noted that the adjustments can be seen in the Senate committee report. /mr