Metro Manila, Philippines – The Supreme Court has set oral arguments on the four consolidated petitions that challenged the constitutionality of controversial items in the budget.

The court set discussions on the unprogrammed appropriations (UA) and special accounts in the national budget for three consecutive years during its summer sessions in Baguio City on April 8 and 22.

A preliminary conference will take place ahead of that on Feb. 04 in Manila.

The UA is a standby fund in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) that allows spending for priority projects subject to excess revenue or new sources of financing beyond original targets set in the budget.

The SC Office of the Spokesperson said in a statement on Friday, Jan. 23, that the petitioners, including legislators, taxpayers and concerned citizens seek to “nullify various adjustments made by the Bicameral Conference Committees that inflated the national budget” from 2024, 2025 and 2026.

The petitioners are former Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado, Jr., Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman, former Sen. Koko Pimentel, and former Davao del Norte !st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

Another petition was filed by the group Filipinos for Peace, Justice, and Progress Movement Inc. against amendments in the 2025 GAA.

The group also mentioned that last year’s budget saw an increase in the line item appropriation in the Department of Public Works and Highways Special Road Fund from P16.756 billion to P34.748 billion.

Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima also questioned the constitutionality of some provisions of the current budget law.