Marcos against ‘lesser evil’ budget, rejects reenacted spending plan — Palace

Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not accept what some lawmakers describe as a “lesser evil” budget option, including the temporary use of a reenacted budget, as Congress rushes to finalize the proposed 2026 national budget, Malacañang said Wednesday, Dec. 17.

The Palace remarks were in response to Senator Panfilo Lacson who said it would be better to have a reenacted budget in January or even the entire first quarter than approve what he called an “unchecked, corruption-conducive and graft-ridden” General Appropriations Bill.

Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the president appreciates Lacson’s concerns but is opposed to a reenacted budget.

“Maganda po ang suhestiyon ni Senator Ping Lacson pero ang nais po talaga ng Pangulo ay hindi magkaroon ng reenacted budget,” she said in a Palace press briefing.

[Translation: Senator Ping Lacson’s suggestion is good, but what the president really wants is for there to be no reenacted budget.]

She stressed that the administration believes there is still time to address contentious items in the spending plan.

“Hindi pa naman po natatapos ang Disyembre… at sa tingin po ng pangulo ay may sapat pang panahon para aralin ito,” Castro said.
(“December is not yet over, and in the president’s view, there is still enough time to carefully study the budget.”)

No ‘lesser evil’

Asked which scenario Malacañang would consider the “lesser evil” – a reenacted budget or a corruption-prone GAA – Castro declined to frame the issue that way.

“I don’t want to mention any lesser evil,” she said. “I will mention a good option.”

“Ang good option: araling mabuti, hindi pa po tapos ang Disyembre,” Castro added.

[Translation: The good option is to study it thoroughly; December is not yet over.]

She mentioned the administration’s preferred outcome: “Maayos na budget na maipapasa on time.”

[Translation: A sound budget that is passed on time.] 

Under the Constitution, failure to pass the national budget by year-end would result in a reenacted budget, meaning the government would operate under the previous year’s spending. While this keeps basic operations running, it delays new projects and limits spending flexibility.

Malacañang has repeatedly warned that a reenacted budget would slow infrastructure projects and economic programs, even as lawmakers insist that safeguarding transparency and preventing corruption are equally critical.