The bicameral conference committee for the 2026 national budget began on December 13, 2025, focusing on reconciling versions for education, health, and agriculture sectors. Discussions stalled over farm-to-market roads funding due to corruption concerns, but lawmakers eventually agreed to increase it. Meanwhile, a congressman resigned from the House contingent amid complaints against him.
On December 13, 2025, at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, the bicameral conference committee began its first day to reconcile the House of Representatives and Senate versions of House Bill No. 4058 for the 2026 General Appropriations Bill. This marked the first time the deliberations were livestreamed, following public scrutiny over the flood control corruption scandal linked to budget insertions.
Discussions hit a nearly one-hour deadlock over funding for the Department of Agriculture's (DA) farm-to-market roads. The Senate version allocated P16 billion, but the House pushed for P33 billion to cover projects in remote areas. Senators including Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano, and Erwin Tulfo questioned the DA's readiness, noting it had only 65 personnel nationwide, and raised fears of infrastructure corruption. "If you think about it, there are no flood control projects but there are farm-to-market roads. You will suspect it will cause problems. I mean, it may have just moved from flood control to farm-to-market. It will be a source of corruption," Tulfo said. Ultimately, they agreed on P33 billion, though senators voiced reservations.
For the Department of Health (DOH), lawmakers agreed to raise the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program from P49 billion to P51 billion, which covers medical costs for the poor. Senators expressed concerns over political patronage via politicians' guarantee letters, but Senator Loren Legarda argued, "Until such time that the UHC law is really completely properly implemented and PhilHealth is able to handle all of this, I believe that we must provide for the poorest of the poor." They also decided to strengthen provisions barring elected officials from ayuda distribution.
Senator Imee Marcos questioned the use of P60 billion in "excess" PhilHealth funds transferred to the treasury in 2024. Bataan Representative Abet Garcia detailed its allocation: health emergency allowances for COVID-19 frontline workers (P27.45 billion), foreign-assisted projects (P13 billion), MAIFIP (P10 billion), and others. This follows a Supreme Court order to return the funds via the 2026 budget.
In education, P1.38 trillion was approved for the Department of Education (DepEd) at P961 billion, state universities and colleges (SUCs) at P138 billion, and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) at P47 billion. They also transferred P2 billion for the Tulong Dunong student assistance program from SUCs to CHED to streamline implementation; it provides P15,000 annually to eligible students from families earning under P400,000.
Meanwhile, Surigao del Sur 1st District Representative Romeo Momo Sr. resigned from the House bicam contingent amid plunder, graft, and ethics complaints related to public works in his district. In his statement, he cited delicadeza, denied the politically motivated allegations, and stressed it was not an admission of guilt. The deliberations resume on December 14 at 2 p.m.
