Unprogrammed appropriations ‘constitutionally valid’ — DBMFacade of the Department of Budget and Management's building. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) defended the existence of unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the 2026 budget, saying it abided by the Constitution. In a statement on Thursday, January 8, the DBM said it respected the right to seek judicial remedies but maintained that the UA in the 2026 budget is legal. “The DBM maintains its position that the UAs under the FY 2026 General Appropriations Act are constitutionally valid. The UA for the 2026 budget currently stands at P150.9 billion—the lowest since the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Source: Philippine Star January 08, 2026 07:33 UTC