Philippines Budget Release Rate Hits 90.5% by End-August, Trails Previous Year

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it released 90.5% of the original budget for 2026 as of the end of August. According to the DBM Status of Allotment Release report, the releases amounted to P6.149 trillion out of the originally budgeted P6.793 trillion, leaving P644.507 billion undistributed. The release rate at the end of last month was running behind the year-earlier pace of 92.1%. Releases to government agencies and departments totaled P3.471 trillion at the end of August, equivalent to 94.5% of their allocations, compared to 95.9% in the year prior. Special-purpose funds released by the end of the month stood at P518.517 billion, equivalent to 72.1% of the total allotment, against 74.6% a year earlier. Meanwhile, automatic appropriation releases were at 89.9%, or P2.158 trillion, compared to 90% a year earlier. These include the National Tax Allotment of P1.191 trillion, P712.5 billion in interest payments, P93.982 billion for the Block Grant, P42.23 billion for a special account in the general fund, P21.525 billion for net lending and P14.5 billion for tax expenditures. The automatic appropriation releases also include P83.605 billion for retirement and life insurance premiums, which have exceeded the budgeted P82.195 billion. Other releases amounted to P243.13 billion, which include continuing appropriations from last year worth P66.442 billion, P120.11 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, and other automatic appropriations worth P56.577 billion. Including the other releases, the budget allotment rate was 94.1% or P6.392 trillion, leaving P401.376 billion left undistributed. — Justine Irish D. Tabile