THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it will convene with government representatives and state-run firms in a series of budget forums later this month in preparation for drafting the 2026 budget proposal.
In a circular dated Jan. 15, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman announced that the budget forums will take place at the Philippine International Conventional Center.
For the heads of budget, accounting, and planning units of National Government Agencies (NGAs) and Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), both forums will be held on Jan. 28.
“State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) under the coverage of the DBM Regional Offices (ROs) are excluded from the target attendees. A separate forum will be conducted by their respective RO counterparts,” Ms. Pangandaman said.
On the first week of January, the DBM issued National Budget Memorandum No. 153, signaling the preparatory stage for drafting the National Expenditure Program and outlining the priorities for next year.
The Development Budget Coordination Committee set a P6.54-trillion spending target for 2026. It also projected that revenue will hit P5.063 trillion or 16.2% of gross domestic product next year. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante