Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang has begun reviewing the ratified P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto saying the executive branch is closely scrutinizing the final version of the General Appropriations Act to ensure its integrity and proper execution.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Dec. 30, Recto said the executive received the ratified budget on Monday and is examining all allocations and provisions, particularly changes made from the originally submitted National Expenditure Program.
He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his economic team are ensuring that the budget meets legal and technical requirements and addresses the needs of the Filipino people.
Recto said the review is expected to take about a week. During this period, the government may temporarily operate under a reenacted budget, which he said will not disrupt public services or government operations.
“The President wants to ensure that every peso of public funds is spent wisely and translated into real benefits for the Filipino people,” Recto said.
He added that the review process is part of the administration’s commitment to fiscal discipline and accountability, assuring the public that the careful evaluation of the budget will safeguard taxpayers’ money and support the government’s development priorities for 2026.
Gatchalian: 2026 budget constitutional, pork-free
Senate Finance Committee Chair Win Gatchalian said the proposed national budget for 2026 is “pork-free” and capable of withstanding legal and constitutional scrutiny, citing unprecedented transparency reforms in the budget process.
In an interview on The Newsmaker on Monday, Dec. 29, Gatchalian said lawmakers worked closely with the executive branch throughout deliberations to ensure that no major provisions would be vetoed once the measure is transmitted to Malacañang.
“I’m very confident that this budget can withstand legal and constitutional scrutiny,” Gatchalian said, adding that Congress consulted both its own legal teams and those of the executive during the reconciliation process.
The 2026 budget marks a first in Philippine legislative history after bicameral deliberations were opened to the public and livestreamed following public outrage over alleged corruption tied to closed-door budget negotiations.
Critics, including members of the Makabayan bloc, have claimed the budget still contains hundreds of billions of pesos in what they describe as “pork” through unprogrammed appropriations and other allocations.
Gatchalian rejected the accusation, saying controversial lump-sum items had been removed and that remaining unprogrammed funds are now limited to specific, targeted purposes such as military modernization, benefits for government workers and industry support programs.
“There is no pork in the 2026 budget,” he said. “All allocations are geared toward helping Filipinos, not politicians.”
