Rappler's latest stories on 2018 national budget
Duterte signs resolution extending life of 2018 budget for another year
President Rodrigo Duterte cites the need to continue funding rehabilitation efforts for several regions affected by calamities last year
'No underspending': Nearly all funds under 2018 national budget released
The Department of Budget and Management says 96.3% of the budget for the year has been disbursed as of November 22
House OKs extending life of 2018 budget for another year
(UPDATED) Lawmakers seek to extend until 2019 the validity of funds being used for ongoing rehabilitation efforts in the country, including the allocations for Marawi City
House seeks to make 2018 budget available beyond 2018
If the unused allocations for 2018 are rendered invalid by January 1, 2019, then they cannot be used in the ongoing rehabilitation efforts in Marawi City
Congress seeks P1.16-B special budget for Dengvaxia recipients
(UPDATED) The additional budget, which has been requested by the budget and health departments, will be used to provide medical support, like hospitalization, medical kits, outpatient care services, and laboratory tests
Poorest families to get P200 monthly to offset effect of new taxes
'This is in response to critics who say that Train is anti-poor because the informal sector and already tax-exempt wage earners will be faced with higher excise taxes,' says Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno
Duterte vetoes 'riders' that 'circumvent Constitution' in 2018 budget
Grants for monitoring expenses at the MTRCB, as well the ERC's use of income to augment operational expenses, are vetoed
Malacañang denies hand in budget cuts for opposition lawmakers
'We had nothing to do with whatever decision both houses of Congress had,' says Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque
Duterte signs P3.8-trillion 2018 national budget into law
President Rodrigo Duterte green-lights a 2018 budget that prioritizes infrastructure development and education
What's the share of gov't offices in the 2018 P3.8-T national budget?
(3rd UPDATE) The 2018 national budget indicates the priorities of the Duterte administration, with infrastructure, education, and the interior affairs sectors gaining the most
Why intelligence funds require scrutiny
In an ideal situation, it is Congress that should exercise oversight of intelligence funds
Are Duterte's multi-million-peso intel funds achieving their purpose?
Confidential and intelligence funds, by their nature, are difficult to audit. Given significant increases in level of spending on these items, should taxpayers simply trust that President Duterte is 'a good man'?
Congress ratifies P3.767-trillion national budget for 2018
Funds for anti-drug campaigns – the DILG's Masa Masid and the PNP's Oplan Double Barrel – are scrapped
Alvarez to Senate: Restore P50B or we have reenacted budget for 2018
It means huge funds will be available for no specific programs, making the budget vulnerable to misuse and corruption
P50-B cut in 2018 DPWH budget 'alarms' House
'We were surprised that they moved this huge an amount,' says Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House appropriations committee, as the bicameral committee on the 2018 budget meets
Senate approves 'TokHang-free' P3.7-trillion 2018 budget
(UPDATED) The Senate realigns the P900-million allocation for the PNP's Oplan Double Barrel as well as the P500 million for the DILG's Masa Masid
Budget has 'leeway' in case PNP returns to drug war – Drilon
Drilon says there will be a contingent fund in case President Duterte brings the PNP back in the drug war
Free tuition for SUCs in 2nd semester of SY 2017-2018 – Bam Aquino
(UPDATED) Senator Bam Aquino says Congress will provide CHED an additional P40 billion for the implementation of the free tuition law next year
Poe seeks additional P5-B Marawi rehabilitation fund
This is on top of the P5 billion for 2017 and P10 billion for 2018 allotted by the Duterte administration. The funds for 2019 have yet to be determined.
Senate to realign P900M Tokhang budget to PDEA, housing – Pimentel
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel says the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency should prioritize running after big-time suppliers and not drug pushers
Pro-poor? Drilon questions 'minimal' increase in social services budget
'There appears to be a disconnect between the increases in the budget of the social services sector and the infrastructure sector,' Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon says during deliberations on the proposed DSWD budget for 2018
In Senate debate, DILG vows to 'drop' drop boxes for drug reporting
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito is keen on taking the suggestion of Senator Risa Hontiveros to realign the P500-million budget of the Masa Masid program to existing local anti-drug and peace councils
Lacson questions DPWH budget for right-of-way acquisitions
'Clearly the pattern shows that the bloated budget for [right-of-way acquisitions] is the biggest source of insertions and realignments being made by legislators,' says Senator Panfilo Lacson
Senate to allow BI to use express lane fees for overtime pay in 2018
President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the same provision in the 2017 budget, leading to the mass resignation and leave of immigration personnel
DOLE wants stiffer penalties vs contractualization
Under the proposed measure against contractualization, employers who violate the rules on labor-only contracting are only required to regularize their workers
Drilon alarmed by 70% drop in housing budget from P15B to P4B
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon proposes that the administration's intelligence funds be slashed to boost the 2018 budget of the housing sector
LGUs' failure to liquidate funds threatens DSWD’s feeding program
Over P7 billion worth of funds for the Supplementary Feeding Program remain unliquidated by local government units
20,000 K to 12 vocational labs to suffer due to P30-B DepEd budget cut
P30 billion out of the proposed P36 billion for technical-vocational labs for Grade 11 and 12 students will be realigned to fund the free tuition law next year
Housing sector’s proposed 2018 budget lowest in 10 years
The housing agencies will get a budget of P4.7 billion next year – around 92% lower than the P68 billion budget that the HUDCC requested
2,000 DSWD positions remain unfilled despite P2-B surplus funds
Majority of the unfilled positions are memorandum of agreement workers under contract-based arrangements with the DSWD
PDEA wants additional P934 million for drug war
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency says in a budget hearing that it needs more funds to boost anti-narcotics efforts
Senate panel OKs additional P1.68 B in 2018 CHED budget
The Senate finance committee increases the CHED's proposed budget for 2017 from P12.41 billion to P14.1 billion, but this excludes funds for the free tuition law
Senate committee adds P1.2 billion to SUCs’ budget for 2018
(UPDATED) Senator Juan Edgardo Angara says the additional funds will be used for SUCs' expenses on infrastructure and equipment
CHR thanks House for 'open minds, hearts' after budget restored
(UPDATED) 'We are grateful to those who stood firm in championing human rights inside and out the halls of Congress,' says Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Chito Gascon
House set to restore CHR, ERC, NCIP 2018 budgets
(UPDATED) The House of Representatives agrees to restore the budgets of 3 agencies it earlier cut to a mere P1,000 each for 2018
Asec Mocha Uson herself spreads fake news, says Nancy Binay
'How can you fight fake news kung may instances na nanggagaling mismo sa isang Asec yung fake news?' Senator Nancy Binay asks Communications Secretary Martin Andanar
PCOO to hold 'media literacy program' against fake news
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar tells senators that his office will bring the program to the entire country
P1,000 ERC budget means no electricity by 2018, says Gatchalian
Masyadong drastic yung remedy Hindi lang ERC ang nape penalize kundi tayong lahat na gumagamit ng kuryente Ang direktang epekto nito sa consumers ay wala tayong kuryente by next year
Malacañang 'respects' fixed terms, opinions of CHR officials
This is a free country and so we respect the opinions of the different heads of agencies says Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan
De Lima slams 'pathetic' Duterte over P1,000 CHR budget
Wala na talagang tinirang kahihiyan si Duterte sa Pilipino at sa mundo Pathetic This is despotism at its finest This is absolute arrogance of megalomaniacs says the senator and former CHR chairperson
Robredo on P1,000 budget: 'It's like abolishing CHR'
Vice President Leni Robredo says the House disrespected the Constitution and human rights when it approved a measly budget for the CHR
Senators hit House over P1,000 CHR budget
Senators vow to convince their House counterparts to restore the proposed P678 million budget of the Commission on Human Rights for 2018
Can P16 a day save PH kids from malnutrition?
The budget for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s supplemental feeding program sees a drop of P1 billion
Makabayan lawmakers slam lack of data on extrajudicial killings
DOJ’s extrajudicial killing committee records zero incidence in 2016
DOTr to terminate MRT maintenance contract
It is clear to us that the maintenance service provider is not procuring the proper spare parts consumables and capital spares for MRT3 DOTr reveals in its budget hearing at the House of Representatives
NHA faces P10 billion cut in 2018 proposed budget
The National Housing Authority possibly only has P2 2 billion to remedy the ballooning housing backlog
Done in 3 minutes! House panel approves OP budget
The Office of the President breezes through a House committee hearing on its proposed P6 billion budget for 2018
Independent body to probe EJKs? Not now, says Aguirre
Aguirre is still unable to present data pertaining to drug war related EJK cases being handled by the DOJ
Aguirre: Kian case overblown, any war has collateral damage
Isa lang siya sa thousands na pang aabuso ng pulis kung talagang may pang aabuso says Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on the killing of Kian delos Santos
House threatens Comelec budget cut after Bautista skips hearing
If Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista fails to attend the budget hearing for a 3rd time the poll body might suffer the consequences
