Spanish
Santo Domingo. – The Council of Ministers approved this Tuesday the General State Budget bill for the year 2026, with an amount of RD$1 trillion 744 billion, equivalent to 20.1% of the GDP, which will be sent to the National Congress before October 1st. The meeting was chaired by Vice President Raquel Peña, in the absence of President Luis Abinader, who is in New York participating in the UN General Assembly.
The Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, detailed that the budget contemplates a public investment of 2.5% of GDP, that is, RD$7,354.6 million more than the reformulated one for 2025 and RD$39,000 million above this year's initial budget. These resources will be directed to strategic projects of transportation, housing, drinking water, sanitation and communication routes.
Paliza emphasized that 46% of the total expenditure will be allocated to social services, with key commitments such as 4% of GDP for education, increases in health, social security and a special reinforcement for sports, due to the celebration in 2026 of the Central American and Caribbean Games, which involve the renovation of a large part of the country's sports infrastructure. "At the center of every effort is the people," the official pointed out, who stressed that the financial plan seeks to guarantee macroeconomic stability and transparency.
The budget is based on macroeconomic assumptions that project a 4.5% GDP growth and an average inflation of 4%. In addition, the Council of Ministers learned about the progress in the Institutional Performance Evaluation (EDI), a new model that measures the efficiency of public entities and conditions the delivery of incentives. Paliza explained that some institutions have not yet met the established goals, but highlighted progress in areas such as agriculture, industry, and commerce.
He also highlighted that undernutrition in the country is at its lowest level in history, with the expectation of reaching the "zero hunger" goal before 2028. He also highlighted the growth of foreign direct investment, especially in free trade zones, which are transforming towards sectors with greater technological and innovative content. "The 2026 Budget reaffirms President Abinader's commitment to the stability of public finances and to prioritizing investment in vital areas for the country's development," concluded Paliza.
