Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Senate is prepared to defend the constitutionality of the unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the 2026 national budget, which are being challenged before the Supreme Court.
The petition, filed by Reps. Edgar Erice and Leila de Lima seek to block the use of UA, arguing it could be prone to misuse.
Sotto maintained that UAs are constitutionally valid standby funds for priority projects, citing Supreme Court precedents, and noted that President Marcos already vetoed several UA items while retaining three.
House officials, including Zia Adiong, echoed that UAs differ from the pork barrel and can only be used under specific guidelines, ensuring legality.
Opponents like Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña and the Makabayan bloc, however, continue to push for their removal, citing the risk of abuse and ongoing petitions before the Supreme Court.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 10, 2026
SENATE PREPARED TO DEFEND CONSTITUTIONALITY OF UNPROGRAMMED FUNDS, SAYS SOTTO
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