₱243 Billion Unprogrammed: Why ‘Old Habits’ in the Budget Refuse to Die

The Bicameral Conference Committee has wrapped up deliberations on the proposed ₱6.793-trillion 2026 national budget—but not without leaving behind a familiar red flag.

Akbayan party-list Representative Chel Diokno raised alarm over the approval of ₱243 billion in Unprogrammed Appropriations, warning that the mechanism lacks transparency and opens the door to abuse.

Unprogrammed Appropriations are funds without clearly defined sources or timelines for activation. In simple terms, they are money set aside without certainty on when, how, or for whom they will be spent.

And history matters.

According to Diokno, similar budget items were previously used to hide flood control projects, some of which later became entangled in allegations of pork barrel-style insertions and anomalous spending. That is why his call was blunt and uncompromising:

“Dapat i-zero ito.”

This criticism lands at a time when public trust in the budget process is already strained—after weeks of controversy involving DPWH allocations, flood control anomalies, and questions surrounding budget insertions in BICAM.

Supporters of unprogrammed funds argue flexibility.
Critics see a loophole.

Because flexibility without transparency is not prudence—it is risk.

Scripture offers a timeless principle on stewardship:

“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”
— 1 Corinthians 4:2

A national budget is not just an accounting document.
It is a moral statement about priorities, discipline, and restraint.

Politikanta Minute takeaway:
When billions are parked in vague provisions, the problem isn’t accounting—it’s accountability. And when old habits resurface, reform becomes a slogan, not a reality.