Historic ₱8.3-B Budget for P’gasinan in 2026

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved the Php8,379,222,529 annual budget of Pangasinan for fiscal year 2026. It is the largest in the province’s history, marking an 18.01% increase from the 2025 budget of Php7,100,312,215.

Governor Ramon V. Guico III, who delivered his message before the 15-man provincial lawmakers during the budget hearing on November 26, said the expanded budget reflects the province’s strengthened fiscal position and capability to deliver broader and more sustainable public services.

The historic increase was made possible notably by improved local revenue collections and other external sources. Governor Guico attributed this to intensified collection efforts, increased economic activity, and better management of quarry operations.

“The consistent growth of our budget from 2024 onwards results in transparent and responsible financial management. The key factor driving this massive growth is the income generated from our local provincial taxes,” the governor said.

Based on the comparative data report, the National Tax Allocation (NTA) of Php5,899,987,215 in 2025 rose to Php6,674,842,529 for 2026.

The 2026 budget covers General Fund Appropriations, composed of Personal Services [features Implementation of the Salary Standardization Law VI (SSL of 2024) and Medical Allowance], Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE); Capital Outlay; and Special Purpose Appropriations (SPA).

The annual budget also covers the allocations for the expected classification of 14 provincial hospitals and Pangasinan Polytechnic College (PPC) as Local Economic Enterprises. Just like the hospitals, PPC will continue to be subsidized by the provincial government.

The estimated expenditures for the priority development or results-oriented projects and activities embodied in the Annual Investment Program for CY 2026 are as follows: General Public Services: Php2,902,671,507; Social Services: Php3,941,917,878; Economic Services: Php1,533,587,101.

With the largest annual budget ever recorded, the province is positioned to accelerate infrastructure developments, upgrade and add hospitals such as the Umingan Supercommunity Hospital and Alcala Community Hospital, expand economic enterprises, and continue delivering programs that uplift the lives of over three million Pangasinenses.

“We are confident that these robust financial figures ensure the continuing efforts to finish our legacy projects will continue. This budget and accomplishments, it underwrites, could not have been achieved without the advocacy, unity, and action of all our stakeholders in Pangasinan,” Governor Guico said.

(Danna Laureano, Photos by Ervin Alcantara | PIMRO)