14/10/2025
A Congress of more than 300, But Only Twelve Remembered Their Oath
In a chamber of more than 300 elected representatives, only twelve found the courage to say “No.”
The House of Representatives on Monday approved the ₱6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 with an overwhelming 287 votes in favor, 12 against, and 2 abstentions. On paper, the numbers suggest unity. In truth, they expose something else—a troubling silence in the face of glaring flaws in how the nation’s resources are to be spent.
Among the few who stood their ground were House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima and Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno, both citing the government’s persistent lack of accountability, misplaced priorities, and the continued use of Unprogrammed Appropriations—a budgetary loophole that allows billions to be spent outside the regular scrutiny of Congress.
De Lima’s words were both a warning and a lament: “There should no longer be any Unprogrammed Appropriations — not just zero, but none at all.” She decried how institutions like the Judiciary and the Commission on Human Rights remain underfunded year after year, while opaque funds continue to balloon. For her, the practice of keeping “unprogrammed” billions was not only unconstitutional but a moral failure — an abdication of the congressional power of the purse.
Diokno, known for his clarity of conviction, framed his rejection around three simple but searing questions:
Does the 2026 Budget support the future of our youth? Does it uplift the lives of our people? Does it end the culture of corruption?
His conclusion was equally simple: “Nakakalungkot sabihin, pero ang sagot sa tatlong tanong na ito ay hindi.”
He pointed to meager funding for education and health, and to the ₱243 billion left to the Executive’s discretion—a fund without sufficient safeguards, ripe for abuse. His “No” vote, he said, was for every student without a classroom, every family drowning in hospital bills, and every taxpayer disillusioned by a government that misuses their hard-earned pesos.
Even Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste, who was known for scrutinizing the DPWH budget casted his dissent. His stand was against corruption—particularly within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Citing testimony that nearly all bids in the agency are rigged, Leviste argued that maintaining inflated prices in infrastructure projects was tantamount to “funding more kickbacks for 2026.”
Meanwhile, former Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel noted what he called a “rare moment” in Congress: that this year, the Makabayan bloc was not alone in opposing the budget. Yet he was quick to call out the hypocrisy of others—those who were vocal in their criticisms but silent when the roll call came.
In the end, the vote revealed more than just numbers. It revealed a Congress that, for the most part, prefers convenience over conviction. When hundreds of lawmakers rush to approve a ₱6.7-trillion budget riddled with questionable allocations, while only a handful dare to stand against it, we are reminded of how rare courage has become in public office.
These twelve dissenters may have lost the vote, but they won something more lasting—the respect owed to those who choose principle over popularity. In a time when compliance is rewarded and criticism is punished; their defiance stands as a moral compass pointing toward what true representation should look like.
For a nation that prides itself on democracy, it is alarming that integrity has become a minority position. The lonely twelve should not remain lonely for long.
If the Filipino people are to reclaim accountability in government, it will not be through applause for the majority—but through remembrance of those who dared to say “No.”
