Budget release rate hits 86% at end of May

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it released 86% of the budget for 2026 as of the end of May.

According to the DBM Status of Allotment Release report, the releases amounted to P5.84 trillion out of the original budget of P6.79 trillion, leaving P949.23 billion undistributed.

The release rate at the end of last month was running behind the year-earlier pace of 89.5%.

Releases to government agencies and departments amounted to P3.7 trillion by the end of May, equivalent to 84.1% of their allocations, compared to 89.2% in the same period last year.

Special purpose funds released by the end of the month stood at P389.6 billion, representing 54.2% of the total allotment.

Meanwhile, automatic appropriation releases were at 89.6%, or P2.15 trillion.

These include the P1.19-trillion National Tax Allotment, the P712.5 billion for interest payments, the P93.98 billion for the Block Grant, the P82.66 billion for retirement and life insurance premiums, and the P36.47 billion for a special account in the general fund, which includes the P6-billion allotment for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program. 

Other releases amounted to P114.21 billion, which include continuing appropriations from last year worth P19.52 billion, P81.37 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, and other automatic appropriations worth P13.33 billion.

Including the other releases, the budget allotment rate hit 87.7% or P5.96 trillion, leaving P835.01 billion left undistributed. — Justine Irish D. Tabile