Senate finance panel clears 2026 budgets of OP, PMS

By Wilnard Bacelonia, Philippine News Agency

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs Finance Subcommittee A, presided over the budget hearing where Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and PMS Secretary Elaine Masukat presented their agencies’ allocations. (File Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday approved the proposed PHP27.3 billion budget for the Office of the President (OP), as well as the PHP882.5 million for the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) under the 2026 National Expenditure Program.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs Finance Subcommittee A, presided over the budget hearing where Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and PMS Secretary Elaine Masukat presented their agencies’ allocations.

Bersamin said their attendance signified Malacañang’s commitment to work closely with Congress.

“Our presence here manifests the President’s commitment to work closely with the Senate in upholding our mutual objective of promoting the welfare of our people and the country’s national interests,” Bersamin said.

“The Office of the President will fully cooperate with Congress in its exercise of the Constitutional mandate as the ‘keeper of the purse,’” he added.

Masukat said the PMS budget reflected a slight 1.14 percent increase from 2025 levels, noting that the allocation will support the preparation of presidential briefers and decision inputs, monitoring of directives and priorities, facilitation of public concerns, management of presidential engagements, and provision of Cabinet secretariat support.

After hearing the presentations, Gatchalian declared the budgets approved at the committee level.

“There being no objection, the budgets of the Office of the President and the Presidential Management Staff are now deemed subjected for plenary’s consideration, subject to the discussion and submission of documents requested by senators,” he said.

Senators also expressed interest in raising the OP’s budget further to help cover expenses for the Philippines’ hosting of the ASEAN Summit next year.