House to scrutinize 2026 national budget, Benitez says

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod City Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said the 2026 national budget will undergo close scrutiny in the House of Representatives before it is forwarded to the Senate.

Benitez told reporters over the weekend that “we are finishing deliberations over the national budget so we are now entering the period of amendment.”

He added that deliberations were targeted to end on Oct. 10 but House leaders sought an extension until Oct. 13 before submission to the Senate.

“By October 14, we will transmit the budget to the Senate,” Benitez said.

Benitez said deliberations have been transparent under House Speaker Bojie Dy’s leadership.

“The deliberations now are publicly broadcasted,” he pointed out.

He added “ we can now see there are no more so called small committees in the entire plenary.”

Benitez said that after the plenary approved the budget “ there will be no more changes unlike before, it will approved by the plenary, there are small committees that change the budget.”

“This time it will no longer happen,” Benitez added.

“As far as assurance to the public on the trustwothiness of the 2026 national budget is concerned,” Benitez said, “ all eyes are on us, as you can see, the deliberation was not rushed, all those who questioned were given due time, that a fact that’s why there was a delay.”

He stressed that “ that is a result already that we are being transparent as far as our national budget is concerned.”

Benitez earlier emphasized that “with the budget season in full swing, every discussion matters as we strive to ensure that government resources are used wisely and for the benefit of all Filipinos.”