SANTO DOMINGO. -The government approved this Tuesday the draft of the General State Budget for 2026 for an amount of RD$1 trillion 744 billion, equivalent to 20.1% of GDP.
The bill will be sent to the National Congress before October 1, as established by the Constitution.
This was reported by the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, at a press conference held after the fifty-second Council of Ministers .
The government train meeting was chaired by the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña , and took place at the National Palace.
Of the total budget, 46% of the spending will be allocated to social services, including 4% of GDP for education, increased allocations for health, social security and sports, Paliza specified.
Regarding sports, a significant portion will be allocated to the celebration of the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games, which will be held next year.
RD$6 billion will also be allocated for the implementation of the new National Identity and Electoral Card, under the responsibility of the Central Electoral Board ( JCE ).
The budget also projects an increase in public investment, which will reach 2.5% of GDP.
Capital expenditure would be RD$7,354.6 million higher than the reformulated 2025 budget and RD$39,000 million more than the initial budget for that year, directed towards transportation, housing, drinking water and sanitation projects.
Paliza asserted that the 2026 Budget “prioritizes investment in social areas, guarantees the sustainability of public finances, and lays the foundation for continuing to transform the country with efficiency and transparency.”.
The minister also said that in the macroeconomic sphere, real GDP growth of 4.5% and average inflation of 4% are projected.
The Governing Council also reviewed the Institutional Performance Evaluation (EDI). Paliza acknowledged that some public entities have not met the goals set by President Luis Abinader .
Although he did not offer details about which institutions are in that situation, he noted that some of them have already undergone merger processes.
The Council of Ministers was held in the absence of President Abinader, who is in New York, United States, completing a work agenda that includes participation in the UN General Assembly and meetings with heads of state.
