Following NEP Submission to House, Marcos Jr. Calls on Congress To “Swiftly Enact” Proposed 2026 Fund
MARCOS JR. – The President claimed that the Philippines poised to be a leader among the nations and he called on the Congress over the proposed 2026 budget.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos promised the Filipinos during his 4th SONA that he will not approve budget proposals that are not in line with the government plans. He even claimed during his national address before the 20th Congress that he is willing to return the said misaligned proposals or go as far as having a reenacted budget for the country.
The executive department crafts the budget proposal for the next Fiscal Year. However, according to Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero, the “power of the purse” still belongs to the Congress. He stressed that the Congress should not just be a “rubber stamp” in the process.
Escudero also claimed that the Cabinet secretaries of Marcos Jr. are allegedly asking for additional budget or changes in the proposed funds. He suggested that the President should tell his secretaries not to seek for changes anymore once the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has submitted the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Following the remarks of Escudero, Malacañang called on the Congress not to abuse the “power of the purse”. According to Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro, the President also hopes that the budget talks will be made available for the people as much as possible.
Prior to it, House Speaker Martin Romualdez has already filed a resolution seeking for “watchdogs” to be allowed during the budget talks of the Congress in line with what Marcos Jr. wants. Recently, the DBM has already submitted the P6.793 trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) to the House of Representatives.
Based on a report on PhilStar, following the submission of the proposed national budget for the Fiscal Year 2026, Pres. Bongbong Marcos called on the Congress to “swiftly enact” the proposed 2026 budget. The President also called for cooperation for the country.
”I urge the honorable members of Congress to swiftly enact this budget. Let us work together to realize the full potential of our nation, nurture future-ready generations and fulfill our dream of a Bagong Pilipinas,” Marcos Jr. said.
Furthermore, based on the report, Marcos Jr. also claimed that the Philippines is on the track with its “Agenda for Prosperity”. According to him, the country is poised to be a leader among nations most especially in the Asia Pacific region.
”However, while we have recovered from the pandemic, we recognize that there is still much to rebuild, and there is still much that can be achieved. We must not lose sight of our collective responsibility to ensure a brighter future for our people, especially the next generations,” he expressed.
Marcos Jr. also aired the proposed budget for the priority recipients. The Department of Education (DepEd) has one of the highest budget appropriations for 2026.
- Department of Education (DepEd) — P928.5 billion
- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) — P881.3 billion
- Department of Health (DOH) — P320.5 billion
- Department of National Defense (DND) — P299.3 billion
- Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) — P287.5 billion
- Department of Agriculture (DA) — P239.2 billion
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) — P227.0 billion
- Department of Transportation (DOTr) — P197.3 billion
- Judiciary Department — P67.9 billion
- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) — P55.2 billion
However, prior to the start of the budget talks, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte said she already expects that the proposed P903-million budget for the OVP will be reduced when the NEP reaches the House.