P114-B BARMM budget for 2026 signed; education gets biggest chunk
COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua on Wednesday signed into law Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 85, which sets the region’s budget for 2026.
Also known as the General Appropriations Act of the Bangsamoro (GAAB), BAA 85 outlines a spending program amounting to P114.7 billion, the highest, so far, in Bangsamoro history.
The 2026 appropriation marks a 21.5-percent increase from the 2025 budget of P94.41 billion.
BAA 85 is the seventh annual spending program approved by the interim parliament since the BARMM’s transition government was established in 2019.
The 2026 budget marks a 75-percent increase from the first GAAB it approved for 2020, which was P65.6 billion.
The 2026 Bangsamoro Expenditure Program underwent about a month of intense scrutiny by the parliament’s subcommittees. The signing of the GAAB came after Macacua certified the urgency of passing the measure, urging lawmakers to act promptly while ensuring that the welfare of the Bangsamoro people is reflected as a priority “for every peso that is appropriated.”
“This act formalizes our collective resolve to manage public resources with discipline, transparency and moral governance,” Macacua said after signing into law BAA 85 together with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Yacob.
Swift passage
“This ceremonial signing affirms our commitment to uphold the gains of the peace process through accountable governance and unity of action,” he added.
Macacua said the budget would be funded by a combination of sources, including the annual block grant; national government subsidies; share in national taxes, fees and charges collected in BARMM; collections of regional taxes and fees; and funds that were not utilized in prior years.
BARMM Finance Minister Ubaida Pacasem expressed full support for Macacua’s fiscal targets, saying that the 2026 budget directly addressed the needs and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.
“The 2026 budget reflects our shared commitment to invest more in our people,” Pacasem said. “By prioritizing essential services and strategic sectors, we are ensuring that development is inclusive, sustainable and truly felt by every Bangsamoro community,” he added.
The budget was approved after nearly two hours of interpellation in the plenary, with legislators noting that almost a month of committee-level scrutiny allowed the parliament to move swiftly at the final stage.
Member of Parliament Kitem Kadatuan Jr., chair of its committee on finance, budget and management, said the speed reflected preparedness and discipline in the budget process.
The 2026 budget prioritizes education, health services, infrastructure and social protection.
The top recipient agencies are the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education which received the largest share at P26.49 billion; Ministry of Health, P8.61 billion; the parliament, P7.26 billion; Ministry of Public Works, P5.77 billion; Office of the Chief Minister, P4.96 billion; and Ministry of Social Services and Development, P3.96 billion.
The Ministry of the Interior and Local Government received P2.04 billion; Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform, P1.85 billion; Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, P968.1 million; and Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy, P923.16 million.
