President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has decided to sacrifice his Christmas holiday to personally examine the proposed 2026 national spending plan, demonstrating his commitment to ensuring a clean and responsive budget for the Filipino people.
No Holiday Rest for the President
Malacañang announced on Friday that the Chief Executive will not take a traditional holiday break. Instead, he will dedicate the time to a meticulous review of the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) once it reaches his desk. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro emphasized the President's dedication, stating the budget needs to be studied carefully and signed before the year concludes.
"It needs to be studied. For the President, there is no need to have a Christmas break. This really needs to be studied, and he will strive to have it signed before the year ends," Castro said during a press briefing.
Thorough Scrutiny and Veto Power
President Marcos is determined to conduct a full and complete review of the massive spending bill. His goal is to ensure every provision aligns with his administration's priorities and effectively addresses public needs. Castro confirmed that the President is prepared to use his constitutional authority to veto or reject any questionable provisions he finds necessary.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is assisting the President in this critical task. Furthermore, Cabinet secretaries may be summoned to explain or clarify details concerning their respective agency budgets if needed.
Race Against the Calendar
This intensive review comes as Congress aims to ratify the budget and transmit the final "enrolled bill" to Malacañang by December 29. Despite the tight timeline, the Palace expressed confidence that President Marcos will do his utmost to approve the 2026 budget before the New Year.
Under the Philippine Constitution, the President has until the end of the calendar year to sign the budget into law. This deadline empowers him to exercise his line-item veto power, allowing him to nullify specific appropriations items without rejecting the entire legislation.
The President's decision underscores the high priority his administration places on the national budget, viewing it as the primary tool for driving economic growth and delivering essential services to the nation.
