Speaker Dy orders review of 2026 projects; House readies budget portal

By Pexcel John Bacon, Reporter

SPEAKER Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Monday ordered all House oversight committees to review the implementation of projects funded under the 2026 national budget as the chamber prepares to launch an online platform detailing lawmakers’ projects and allocations.

“I am hereby directing all oversight committees to immediately convene in order for Congress to fully monitor its oversight function,” Mr. Dy said in his opening remarks as the House resumed its second regular session.

Mr. Dy said lawmakers must determine whether funds approved under the 2026 spending program were used for their intended purposes and released within prescribed timelines.

“I cannot emphasize it enough — it is incumbent upon us to thoroughly check if the funds allocated for 2026 have been disbursed in faithful compliance with their original purpose and if the departments and agencies did so within the specified time frame,” he said.

The Speaker also announced the impending launch of an online transparency portal that would disclose information on projects funded through congressional allocations, including project names, locations, budgets and implementation status.

“All the important information they want to know can be found on the website we are preparing: project name, location, allocated budget and whether it is completed or not,” he said in Filipino.

Mr. Dy said development of the platform began in September and is undergoing final improvements before its public release.

The move comes amid scrutiny of amendments introduced by the House of Representatives to the proposed 2027 national budget.

Mr. Dy said the House would continue meetings of its Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee and livestream bicameral conference committee deliberations to let the public monitor changes to the spending plan.

The Speaker said House amendments sought to increase funding for scholarships, school safety programs, medical assistance and agricultural initiatives ahead of the expected effects of El Niño.

“It is everyone’s right to know where every centavo you work hard for, and every tax you pay goes and will go,” he said.

Mr. Dy said lawmakers remained open to public scrutiny and prepared to explain their decisions and consider reasonable proposals.

He also reported that the House approved 448 measures on third and final reading during the previous session, 13 of which were enacted into law. The chamber also acted on 32 of the 61 priority measures endorsed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

Meanwhile, major political parties represented in the House backed the public disclosure of congressional district allocations under the proposed 2027 budget.

Representatives from the National Unity Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and Nacionalista Party said they had no objection to making district-level allocations and funded projects accessible to the public.

“We want to be very transparent,” Camarines Sur Rep. Arnulf Bryan “Arnie” B. Fuentebella of the Nationalist People’s Coalition told a news briefing.

Negros Oriental Rep. Janice Mira Vallega-Degamo of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats said lawmakers in her party were willing to disclose their allocations.

“Every member of the party is open to show the budget. Our companions in the party are not hiding anything,” she said in mixed English and Filipino.

Davao del Norte Rep. Jose Manuel F. Lagdameo of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas also supported making the House budget portal publicly accessible.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Romeo S. Momo, Sr. of the Nacionalista Party said transparency should not be confused with equal funding for all congressional districts because allocation needs vary according to population, geography and exposure to natural disasters.

“We believe that there is no equal allocation in each district,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

Mr. Fuentebella also disputed claims that House amendments reached P190 billion or P1 trillion, saying the Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee introduced only P115 billion in changes.

“It’s only P115 billion,” he said.

Bataan Rep. Albert S. Garcia, senior vice-chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said many amendments originated from government agencies or corrected omissions and project details in the Executive’s original budget proposal.