The devious manipulation of the pork barrel in the 2026 budget was exposed to the public during the bicameral conference committee (bicam) of the Senate and House of Representatives. Despite being livestreamed, lawmakers did not hide their bickering over various forms of pork barrel and how much would remain in the budget. The bicam finalized the pork barrel–laden budget on December 18.

The Senate pretended to cut the Department of Public Works and Highways budget by ₱45 billion for overpricing, only to restore more than half of the funds in the bicam. This retained the large portion of the “allocable” and “non-allocable” funds in the budget, from which the president, congressmen, and senators draw their respective kickbacks.

Another item agreed in bicam was adding funds for Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients, the congressmen’s pork barrel in the form of “health service.” The bicam raised the allocation from the original ₱49.2 billion to ₱51.64 billion, funds that should have gone directly to public hospitals’ budget.

The bicam also manipulated the “LGU pork” or Local Government Support Fund, which the Senate almost doubled from ₱20.2 billion to ₱38.1 billion. The Senate reduced the funds for employees’ benefits and bonuses to expand the aid funds controlled by local officials.

These allocations augment funds previously agreed upon, held by legislators in the form of aid. The bicam also raised the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations aid from the original ₱27 billion to ₱63 billion.

Marcos’ ₱243.4 billion pork barrel for unprogrammed appropriation (notoriously used in anomalous flood control projects) and ₱10.77 billion in confidential and intelligence funds also remained intact. The fascist agency NTF-Elcac also retained its ₱8-billion pork barrel.