Malacañang Speaks on Pres. Bongbong Marcos amid the Christmas Holidays
BONGBONG MARCOS – Malacañang expressed that the President will spend his Christmas holidays reviewing the bicam-approved budget for 2026.
Marcos Jr. previously expressed that the legislature providing a “good budget” will make a very nice Christmas. Amid the previous delay in the bicameral conference committee’s budget process, the Malacañang Palace expressed its confidence that the 2026 budget will be passed on time as the President does not want a reenacted budget.
According to Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro, a reenacted budget will stop the implementation of several projects and the President does not want it to happen. The National Expenditure Program (NEP) crafted by the executive department proposed for a P6.7-trillion budget for 2026.
Out of the P6.7 trillion proposed budget for 2026, the office of Pres. Bongbong Marcos is asking for a P27.3 billion budget for next year. It is 72% higher compared to the P15.84-billion budget of the President’s office for this year.
The proposed budget for the Office of the President for 2026 is inclusive of the P1 billion budget for Marcos Jr.’s local and foreign official trips. It also includes the P17-billion proposed budget for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and Related Meetings that will be held next year.
Furthermore, the P27.3-billion budget sought by the office of Pres. Bongbong Marcos includes the P4.5 billion confidential and intelligence funds. The Office of the President is poised to get the lion’s share from the total P10-billion CIF proposed for 2026.
Recently, Malacañang spoke on Pres. Bongbong Marcos following the bicameral conference committee approving the 2026 proposed budget. Based on a report on GMA News, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez said Marcos Jr. will spend his Christmas holidays working.
“The President will be spending the holidays working. As early as now, the President is already mobilizing his team to facilitate the immediate review of all amounts and corresponding provisions agreed in the bicam and trace the changes made from the originally submitted National Expenditure Program (NEP),” the PCO Secretary said.
According to Gomez, the thorough review will make sure that the money of the taxpayers will be used in the right way that will contribute to the societal goals which would impact the Filipinos as what the President said during his latest State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Previously, the President already expressed that public servants are called to work even on holidays. The statement of Marcos Jr. came amid his order to the Philippine National Police (PNP) this Christmas season.