MANILA — The House of Representatives suspended its session ahead of the Christmas break after approving the P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget through the country’s first open and livestreamed bicameral conference committee.

House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III said the conclusion of the bicameral negotiations marked a turning point for transparency in the budget process, as the developments capped a year of institutional reforms, priority legislation, and modernization efforts.

“This was the first open bicam in our history—isang mahalagang hakbang tungo sa mas bukas, mas malinaw, at mas mapagkakatiwalaang proseso ng paggawa ng pambansang budget,” Dy said in his closing remarks.

The Speaker said the openness resulted in a national budget that the public can trust.

“Nakapagtapos tayo ng badyet na maaaring pagkatiwalaan ng taumbayan—isang budget na walang insertions, na hindi itinago, hindi minadali, at hindi inilayo, kundi bukas sa mata ng publiko.”

Dy commended members of the 20th Congress, Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, House Committee on Appropriations Chair Mikaela Angela Suansing, and the entire House bicameral panel for completing the budget deliberations.

“This budget is historic—not only because the process was transparent, but because the priorities were clear. It is a budget shaped by love for country, a deep understanding of our people’s realities, and genuine compassion for our kababayan,” he said.

Dy said the House version of the budget delivers concrete gains for Filipinos, citing record allocations for education, health care, and agriculture. He noted that education received the largest allocation in Philippine history, equivalent to 4.1 percent of gross domestic product, with more than 25,000 classrooms set for construction or rehabilitation and full funding restored for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education program.

“This is not just an investment in education. This is an investment in the future of the Filipino nation,” Dy said.

On health care, Dy said the budget strengthens the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and the Medical Assistance to Individuals and Financially Incapacitated Patients program to support zero-balance billing for indigent patients in public hospitals. He added that agriculture funding was boosted to support farmers and fisherfolk through farm-to-market roads, irrigation, mechanization, crop insurance, and subsidies.

“Ang badyet na ito ay hindi lamang mga numero sa papel. Ito ay pagkain sa hapag, gamot sa ospital, at edukasyong magbubukas ng pinto sa mas maliwanag na bukas,” Dy said.

The House will reconvene briefly on Dec. 29 to ratify the bicameral conference committee report, the final step before the budget is signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Before suspending for the Christmas break, the House also passed on third and final reading 12 priority measures of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council. These include the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation bill, the National Reintegration Bill for overseas Filipino workers, and the National Center for Geriatric Health bill.

Education-related measures approved include proposed amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act and the Teachers Professionalization Act. Other bills passed include the proposed Blue Economy Act, measures strengthening the Energy Regulatory Commission, promoting waste-to-energy technologies, establishing a Department of Water Resources, amending the National Building Code and the Bank Secrecy Law, and extending the estate tax amnesty period.

Five LEDAC priority bills remain for comment or concurrence by the Committees on Appropriations and/or Ways and Means, while 15 others are under review by concerned House committees.

Dy encouraged lawmakers to continue serving the public through legislation.

“Ang tunay na kagalakan sa paglilingkod-bayan ay hindi nagmumula sa posisyon, titulo o kapangyarihan. Ito ay nagmumula sa kaalaman na may isang bata na nakapagtapos, isang pasyenteng gumaling, may isang pamilyang umasa dahil pinili nating maglingkod ng totoo at tapat,” he said.

“Sa aking mga kapwa mambabatas, sa ating masisipag na kawani, at sa sambayanang Pilipino na patuloy nating pinaglilingkuran—maraming salamat po.”