SANTO DOMINGO.- The Senate of the Republic approved yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, urgently and in two consecutive readings, the draft General State Budget Law for the year 2026 for an amount of RD$1,841,701,394,621.
The vice president of the Bicameral Commission in charge of studying the project, Pedro Antonio Tineo, when presenting the report, explained that the current budget is designed to guarantee the return to economic growth that sustains the Dominican Republic, and is projected based on five percent for next year, according to estimates from international organizations.
The previously approved document submitted by the Chamber of Deputies details that this budget guarantees the maintenance of greater growth development, and that the revenues of RD$1,439,933,579,891 indicate the level of growth that the economy has, which is satisfying the vast majority of the requests made by the different communities.
Before presenting the bill to his colleagues, the president of the Senate, Ricardo de los Santos, used his speaking time to defend the investment included in the budget, highlighting that, contrary to what the opposition suggests, there has been a reduction in public debt relative to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “Regarding the issue of public debt as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in 2020 it reached 56.6%, while as of October of this year it stands at 46.9%; that is, almost ten percentage points lower than when we took office, even considering the impact of the pandemic,” he explained.
De los Santos denied that the General State Budget was in deficit and stated that the works carried out by the Government are visible throughout the national territory.
During the debates, Senators Johnson Encarnación, Antonio Marte, Cristóbal Castillo, Ramón Rogelio Genao, and Milciades Aneudy Ortiz also addressed the issue, defending the government's social investment. Meanwhile, Eduard Espiritusanto and Omar Fernández spoke against the bill.
The draft budget law states that the estimates of consolidated revenues and financial sources are made up of those of the central government, autonomous and decentralized non-financial bodies and public social security institutions.
The report presented by the Bicameral Commission stated that, prior to approving this bill, the legislators listened to Magín Díaz, Minister of Finance and Economy; Camila Hernández, Vice Minister of Fiscal Policy; and José Rijo Presbot, Vice Minister of Budget and Accounting, and exhausted the mechanisms recognized by the Constitution of the Republic and the regulations of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic.
The opposition
During the session, Senator Eduard Espíritusantocriticized the bill, arguing that it prioritizes current spending over public investment.
"This budget reflects the poor vision this government has of the economic direction of the Dominican Republic, since when we examine its content we realize that it is designed to prioritize current spending over capital investment," the legislator said from the chamber.
The General State Budget for 2026 estimates revenues of 1,342,258.2 million pesos, equivalent to 15.5% of GDP , and a total expenditure of 1,622,833.4 million pesos, equivalent to 18.7% of GDP.
The bill contemplates a fiscal deficit of 280,575.3 million pesos, equivalent to 3.2% of GDP, and includes public investment of 215,284.7 million pesos, an increase compared to the initial 2025 budget
Following its approval in the National Congress, the project only remains to be sent to the Executive Branch for its enactment.
Sources: Diario Libre and Hoy.
