₱10.5 Billion Added, No Breakdown Given: Who Approved the House’s Silent Budget Increase?

Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste raised concerns after discovering that the House of Representatives’ budget for 2026 increased by ₱10.5 billion without a detailed public explanation.

According to Leviste, the House budget grew from ₱17.20 billion to ₱27.70 billion, with the additional amount appearing in the submitted budget documents without prior discussion during committee hearings. He clarified that he was not disputing the authority of Congress to allocate funds, but questioned the process and transparency behind the increase.

Leviste said he repeatedly asked for a breakdown of where the additional ₱10.5 billion would be spent, particularly as Congress prepares to ratify the 2026 budget before the December 29 deadline. He noted that neither the committee report nor the plenary discussions provided sufficient detail on how the funds would be allocated.

Part of the increase reportedly went to the House’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), which expanded significantly. Critics have long flagged MOOE allocations as vulnerable to abuse due to their flexible nature and limited public visibility.

Leviste also disclosed that some House staff privately showed him a document allegedly listing individual “incentives” tied to the budget increase, further fueling calls for disclosure. He has since urged House leadership to release a full itemized breakdown before final approval of the 2026 budget.

As debates over pork barrel practices and budget insertions resurface, the unexplained ₱10.5 billion has become a focal point for lawmakers and citizens demanding greater accountability in public spending.