81.3% of ’26 PH budget released by April
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released 81.3 percent of the P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget as of end-April, though the pace remains slower than last year as infrastructure-related disbursements have yet to fully recover.
Latest data from the DBM showed that about P5.523 trillion has already been released to agencies, leaving P1.269 trillion still to be disbursed.
The slower pace compared with last year’s 89.5 percent release rate was largely attributed to the disbursement chill that followed last year’s flood control corruption scandal. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in particular, continues to complete carryover projects while complying with stricter validation and billing requirements.
The DPWH has received only 20.8 percent of its budget, or P110.1 billion, of its P530.1-billion adjusted program.
Even so, this marks an improvement from the 12.1 percent pace that had remained unchanged since January. The DBM also noted that the agency received the largest allotment in April at P72.1 billion, which is expected to support spending momentum in the second quarter.
Overall, 78.7 percent of the P3.67-trillion budget for departments has been released, equivalent to P2.89 trillion.
Special-purpose funds posted the slowest release rate at 52.4 percent, or P376.6 billion of the P719.4-billion program. Meanwhile, automatic appropriations recorded the highest release rate at 89.6 percent, or P2.1 trillion of the P2.4-trillion budget.
In April alone, the DBM issued P361.8 billion, which is expected to help bolster government spending in the second quarter and support overall economic growth.
Aside from the DPWH, other major agencies that received the allotment releases in April included the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (P60 billion), Department of Social Welfare and Development (P43.2 billion), National Irrigation Administration (P41 billion) and Bureau of the Treasury (P24.7 billion).
Also among the top recipients are the Philippine National Police (P23.3 billion), Department of Education (P23.3 billion), Department of Agriculture (P17.2 billion) and local government units (P5 billion).
“These expenditures would further propel disbursements in the second quarter, alongside the allotments [that] were already comprehensively released at the beginning of the year,” the DBM said in a separate report.
“Meanwhile, the implementation of various capital outlay projects is seen to pick up this second quarter following the release of allotments in the earlier months, particularly in March, thereby enabling line agencies to conduct bidding activities and obligate funds,” it added.
