Rappler's latest stories on national budget Philippines
DICT's P800-M confidential funds: 2nd biggest in 2020 budget
The DICT, under scrutiny for its questionable release of P300 million in confidential funds in 2019, gets an even bigger sum than the government's anti-drug agency in 2020

2020 budget: Where will the money go?
Most departments gain substantial increases in 2020's P4.1-trillion national budget, as the government recuperates from the effects of the 4-month budget delay in 2019

Duterte signs P4.1-trillion 2020 budget into law
(UPDATED) President Rodrigo Duterte signs the 2020 budget bill into law, less than a week after the Philippine government started to operate under a reenacted budget

Duterte extends validity of 2019 budget
President Rodrigo Duterte approves the extended validity of 'all appropriations' in this year's national budget until the end of 2020

Acosta asks Duterte to veto provision defunding PAO lab in 2020 budget
Chief Public Attorney Persida Acosta claims the PAO forensic lab was defunded to 'jeopardize its operations' but lawmakers have said that the lab just duplicated the work of other agencies
Lacson urges Duterte to veto questionable P16B in bicam-approved 2020 budget
Senator Panfilo Lacson hopes the President would once again veto questionable items in the proposed 2020 budget, just as he did with this year's fiscal plan

Duterte's economic team proposes P4.64-trillion budget for 2021
Universal health care, anti-poverty measures, climate change, and the peace process are among the government's priorities for 2021

Congress passes P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020
But Senator Panfilo Lacson accuses the House of allegedly inserting P16.345 billion worth of projects in the 2020 budget

Bicam approves P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget
The Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to ratify the bicam report on the 2020 budget on Wednesday, December 11, during their respective sessions

Duterte approves P4.1-T national budget proposal for 2020
The Department of Education, followed by the public works, transportation, and health departments get the biggest allocations in the Duterte administration's 2020 budget proposal

[ANALYSIS] Philippine defense spending in 2018: What data tells us
The Philippines has to be smart about improving its security beyond defense budgets and military acquisitions and allocations

Davao dominates vetoed P95.37-billion 'pork'
With the President removing the questionable 'pork barrel' allocations from the 2019 budget, it turns out that Davao Region is the biggest loser

Winners and losers under Duterte's 2019 budget
The education and public works sector top President Rodrigo Duterte's priorities in the 2019 national budget, but do they really win?

Duterte EO allows 2019 salary hike for gov't workers despite reenacted budget
The funds for the 4th tranche of salary adjustment for government personnel will be sourced from any available appropriations under the 2018 budget

DBM to Malacañang: Amend salary hike EO if budget impasse continues
'With this measure, the long overdue compensation hike that our public servants have been looking forward to can finally be granted,' the DBM says

Budget fiasco pushes economic team to lower growth target
The government was optimistic that economic growth could hit 7% to 8%. Now, that lower-end figure is now the highest target.

[OPINION] Who should be the next budget secretary?
For the sake of policy continuity, it would be best for the DBM to be led by a technocrat and not a politician

Reenacted budget for entire 2019? Bad news for economy
Senate President Vicente Sotto III is proposing a reenacted budget for the whole year, but this would threaten the Philippines' economic growth

Is that pork? Senators say don't compare their realigned P190B to House’s P51B
Senator Loren Legarda admits they are seeking to realign almost P190 billion under the 2019 budget, but only because government agencies asked them to

What to expect as gov't operates on a reenacted budget
(UPDATED) All new government projects will be delayed and expansion plans for some key services and programs will be affected until the 2019 budget is passed

Malacañang warning: Budget delays 'unacceptable' to Filipinos
(UPDATED) But senators maintain they are doing their best, as they continue to scrutinize the 2019 budget

'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

Senate starts deliberations on proposed P3.757-trillion 2019 budget
Senate President Vicente Sotto III is 'doubtful' that the proposed 2019 budget will be passed into law by year-end

Diokno blames Congress for delayed passage of 2019 budget
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno says the rollout of new projects in the proposed 2019 budget will be delayed by at least 5 months due to the election ban

PH gov’t to operate under reenacted budget until Feb 2019
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign the 2019 budget on February 7

Nograles praises House realignment of P51 billion in DPWH funds
House committee on appropriations chairperson Karlo Nograles makes the statement even if the committee of the whole – which realigned the funds – was convened to overrule the panel he chairs

Senators vow to scrutinize House's P51-B realignment in 2019 budget
Senators say they will cross party lines to ensure that the 2019 national budget is transparent and pork barrel-free

Diokno says restoring underspent DOH funds 'irrational'
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno also defends the slashed Health Human Resources Deployment fund, citing slow budget utilization

Makabayan on 'pork barrel': Lawmakers fighting over people's money
But House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya says the realigned P51.792 billion would be itemized so it would not become a version of the illegal pork barrel

Lawmakers realign P51 billion in DPWH funds to other agencies
(UPDATED) Part of the P51 billion is realigned to other items under the Department of Public Works and Highways, but ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio questions these as 'lump sums with no details'

No pork barrel in 2019 budget – Diokno
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno denies reports that the proposed 2019 national budget has hidden discretionary funds for lawmakers

With 2019 budget deadlock, House convenes into committee of the whole
The House of Representatives convenes itself into a committee of the whole after the House leadership discovers around P50 billion worth of 'misplaced' funds distributed to several districts

Shouting match erupts in House meeting over 2019 budget
House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, Camarines Sur 2nd District Luis Raymund Villafuerte, and committee on appropriations chairperson Karlo Nograles clash over the 2019 budget

P50-B ‘misplaced’ funds discovered in 2019 budget
Plenary deliberations on the proposed 2019 budget are delayed by a day as lawmakers continue to report to Speaker Gloria Arroyo on alleged insertions

Restore health department's P30B or budget won't pass, Drilon tells DBM
The budget for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program, which ensures there are health stations in communities, has been reduced to just P50 million

Senate committee okays CHR budget for 2019
(UPDATED) 'Stay relevant, stay focused, and be more objective,' Senator Panfilo Lacson tells the Commission on Human Rights

Unlike DOH programs with lower funds, drug rehab gets boost
Funds for the DOH's drug rehabilitation program nearly doubles in its proposed 2019 budget, while other programs ensuring the allocation of health centers and health workers are clipped

House panel okays P689-M CHR 2019 budget in under 5 minutes
The Commission on Human Rights’ experience in its 2019 budget briefing is a stark contrast from last year when then House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez threatened to give zero budget if the commission could not be abolished

Job losses seen under lower proposed DOH budget
Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III says the lower funds allocated to its Health Human Resources Deployment program may result in the loss of jobs of about 15,000 health workers.

Lacson eyes removal of P16 billion from DPWH right-of-way budget
Senator Panfilo Lacson says the amount could be used as pork barrel, which the Supreme Court has declared as unconstitutional

DBM, Congress agree on transitory cash-based budget system for 2019
Lawmakers want a 'two to three-year' transition period for government agencies and departments to get used to a cash-based budget system

DOLE seeks higher budget to hire 2,000 labor inspectors
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III says the budget department turned down their proposal to hire more labor inspectors

Why should Filipinos fund P100-M campaign for 'uncertain' federalism?
'Mukhang waste of funds ang nakikita natin dito,' says ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio

House panel approves P6.7-B Office of the President budget for 2019
The OP budget for 2019, 12% higher than in 2018, allots P2.5 billion for President Duterte's confidential and intelligence funds

House panel approves P447-M OVP budget for 2019
The Office of the Vice President's proposed budget for 2019 is P96 million less than in 2018, which Leni Robredo says would affect her anti-poverty program

House, DBM agree to restore budget cuts in education, health, infra in 2019
House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya says they are also eyeing a P140-billion supplemental budget for Bangsamoro Law and the Supreme Court ruling on the Internal Revenue Allotment

How the cash-based budget affects DepEd
Education received the lion's share of funds in the proposed 2019 National Expenditure Program. What does the proposed shift to a cash-based budget system look like for the Department of Education?

Budget deadlock: Who's to blame?
Capital outlay for education and health facilities receive huge cuts in the 2019 National Expenditure Program. Is the budget department responsible?

House to resume budget hearings after meeting with Duterte
House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya says President Rodrigo Duterte helped create 'clear lines of communication' between the executive and lawmakers over the 2019 budget impasse

Lacson on budget standoff: It's all about pork barrel
Senator Panfilo Lacson questions the apparent change of heart of the House of Representatives, following the assumption of House Speaker Gloria Arroyo
