Marcos warns Congress: No to altered 2026 budget
Credit to Author: Jean Mangaluz| Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:50:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 6:43 p.m.) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is finally playing hardball. He said he will not sign any Congress-approved budget bill that does not align with the executive branch's proposed version.
Marcos said he is willing to let the government operate on a reenacted budget if needed.
The 2025 national budget has been the most contentious under Marcos' term, with Congress introducing several significant changes to the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) National Expenditure Program (NEP), which is the executive’s proposed spending plan.
“For the 2026 national budget, I will return any proposed General Appropriations Bill that is not fully aligned with the National Expenditure Program,” Marcos said in his fourth State of the Nation Address.
He added, “I am willing to do this even if we end up operating under a reenacted budget.”
Marcos’ vow comes amid concerns over ineffective flood control projects, which he blamed on corruption.
He has since ordered an audit of these projects.
What is the 2025 GAB? The 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), or the version of the budget approved by Congress, underwent several changes during the bicameral conference committee, a closed-door meeting between leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate to reconcile their respective versions of the budget.
Among the changes made in the 2025 bicam was the removal of PhilHealth’s subsidy and the increase in unprogrammed funds.
Since the president cannot add to or reallocate funds in the budget, Marcos was forced to veto several provisions in the 2025 GAB. Although he expressed strong disapproval, he still signed the budget after rejecting certain items.
Now, Marcos appears to be drawing a line.
If Congress fails to approve a budget aligned with the NEP, Marcos said he would not hesitate to let the government operate under a reenacted budget, effectively extending the previous year’s appropriations. The last time this happened was under former President Rodrigo Duterte, who refused to sign the GAB due to alleged pork barrel insertions.
Marcos’ threat to reject a budget he disagrees with comes at a pivotal point in his presidency, as critics begin to describe him as entering the “lame duck” phase of his term.
But the president’s message is clear: He still holds the power to enact or reject the national budget.