Judiciary wants P28.31B reconsidered in 2026 budget
The Supreme Court in Manila.
MANILA, Philippines — The Judiciary on Tuesday requested that P28.31 billion of its 2026 budget be reconsidered.
During a Senate finance committee hearing, Court Administrator Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta said that the branch had proposed a total budget of P105.76 billion.
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Of this total, P92.79 billion was allocated for the Supreme Court of the Philippines and lower courts (SCPLC); P194.57 million for the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET); P8.47 billion for the Court of Appeals (CA); P2.885 billion for the Sandiganbayan (SB); and P1.416 billion for the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).
However, the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) allotted only P67.945 billion for the Judiciary. Gomez-Estoesta said the Judiciary’s share amounts to about 1.00019% of the proposed P6.793 trillion national budget for 2026.
Under the 2026 NEP, the SC is allotted P58.554 billion; P177.87 million for the PET; P5.788 billion for the CA; P2.378 billion for the SB; and P1.047 billion for the CTA.
Senate committee on finance (Subcommittee J) hearing on Tuesday, September 23. (Screenshot from Senate of the Philippines’ livestream/Youtube)
Gomez-Estoesta highlighted a P37.81 billion variance not reflected in the 2026 NEP. Of this, the SCPLC accounts for P34.23 billion; PET, P16.7 million; CA, P2.69 billion; SB, P507.63 million; and CTA, P369.53 million.
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She said the Judiciary is “asking that the following amounts representing the variance in the amounts cut off be reconsidered or included. Out of the P37.81 billion variance, we are only asking for P28.31 billion to be reinstated.”
Senate committee on finance (Subcommittee J) hearing on Tuesday, September 23. (Screenshot from Senate of the Philippines’ livestream/Youtube)
Under the reconsideration, the SCPLC budget is seeking an additional P24.74 billion; PET, P2 million; CA, P2.69 billion; SB, P509.87 million; and CTA, P369.53 million.
If approved, the Judiciary’s proposed budget would rise to P96.26 billion.
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said the Judiciary’s budget “is deemed submitted for the consideration of plenary.”/mcm
