Palace eyeing UPLIFT bill focusing on gov’t savings, project funding

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday said the executive branch will propose to Congress the United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Bill, which concerns government savings, project listings, and unreleased appropriations, among others.

This was announced by Palace press officer Claire Castro at a briefing following the 5th UPLIFT Committee hearing earlier in the day.

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“Napag-usapan sa UPLIFT committee meeting ang balak gawing batas na UPLIFT Bill. Layunin nito, una, alisin ang dalawang taong pagbabawal sa pagsasama sa panukalang budget ng mga item na idineklarang ipon o savings,” Castro said.

(The UPLIFT committee meeting discussed the proposed UPLIFT Bill. Its purpose is, first, to remove the two-year ban on the inclusion of items declared as savings in the proposed budget.)

“Pangalawa, magbibigay ito ng listahan ng mga programs, activities and projects na maaaring pondohan. At pangatlo, bibigyan ng kakayahan ang pamahalaan na magamit ang unreleased appropriations at unobligated allotment mula sa FY 2025 at FY 2026 GAA,” she added.

(Second, it will provide a list of programs, activities and projects that can be funded. And third, it will enable the government to utilize unreleased appropriations and unobligated allotments from the FY 2025 and FY 2026 GAA.)

Castro said this measure is urgent, citing its alignment with current economic and geopolitical conditions.

It forms part of the government’s broader response under Executive Order No. 110, signed on March 24, 2026, which declared a state of national energy emergency.