The University of the Philippines (UP) System has secured its largest budget hike on record at P6.78 billion for 2026 after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the General Appropriations Act (GAA) on Monday.
This year’s budget boost surpasses the previous record in 2013, which saw a P3.78-billion increase.
The 2026 GAA has earmarked P29.47 billion for UP, a stark turnaround from the previous year’s P22.69 billion, which saw the biggest-ever budget cut for the university at P2.08 billion.
READ: Gov’t cuts UP budget by P2.076 B; infra funding hit 13-year low
Notable hikes include a P3.08-billion boost for UP’s hospital services program, which now carries a new P800-million line item for the universal health care fund for zero billing — a provision the Department of Health previously said would stop requiring patients to secure guarantee letters from public officials to curb patronage politics.
Allocations for capital outlays (COs) also quadrupled from P431.53 million to P1.9 billion. COs are used to maintain, upgrade and acquire capital assets, such as buildings and facilities.
These include a P450-million allotment for the completion of the Philippine General Hospital’s multi-specialty building, an amount that covers only half of the P900 million needed for construction, according to a Manila Collegian report.
Other notable infrastructure projects under COs include:
- Construction of the Office of the University Registrar/Communal Classroom Building at UP Los Baños (P300 million)
- Completion and commissioning of the Wind Tunnel Facility for Typhoon Studies at UP Diliman (P247.48 million)
- Establishment of the National Forensics Institute at UP Manila (P175 million)
Still, UP’s 2026 allotment stands 37% lower than its P46.85-billion budget proposal, which initially sought funding for 182 projects under COs.
UP Student Regent Dexter Clemente enjoined the UP community to continue clamoring for a budget that genuinely promotes the interests of the university’s stakeholders.
“Ang P29.47 bilyong pondo ng UP para sa 2026 ay bunga ng tuloy-tuloy na militanteng pagkilos ng kabataan. Sa kabila nito, nananatili ang hamon sa atin na bantayan at igiit na ang pondo’y mapunta sa kapakanan ng mga estudyante, guro, kawani, at komunidad,” Clemente told Tinig ng Plaridel.
“Nananatili ang paninindigan ni Marcos Jr. sa kaniyang korap na budget. May malaking tungkulin ngayon ang mga Iskolar na sumanib sa mamamayang Pilipino na labanan ang korapsyon,” he added.
