More than half of 2026 budget disbursed–DBM

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already disbursed more than half of the P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget as of the end of January.

Data from the Status of Allotment Releases showed that the DBM released P4.251 trillion or about 62.6 percent of the budget.

This leaves P2.542 trillion yet to be distributed.

While slightly slower than January 2025’s pace of 64.9-percent disbursement, the total amount released was still higher in nominal terms.

Government departments received P2.8 trillion out of the P3.683-trillion adjusted program. This translates to a release rate of 74.9 percent.

The Department of Education, which has the largest departmental budget, received P788.9 billion of its allocation. This meant an 82.1-percent release rate.

Notably, the Department of Public Works and Highways received only P63.9 billion of its P529.6-billion budget.

This compares to more than P500 billion in January last year. Spending remained constrained following the flood control controversy and tighter government oversight.

But Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said infrastructure spending is expected to pick up in the first quarter, with a target of P200 to 250 billion.

Meanwhile, the Special Purpose Fund’s release rate stood at 16.9 percent or P121.9 billion of its adjusted P719.5-billion program.

Of this, P83.1 billion was given to government-owned and -controlled corporations.

Automatic appropriations reached P1.4 trillion or 57.3 percent of the P2.4-trillion allocation.

Under this category, the national tax allotment accounted for the largest disbursement at P1.2 trillion.