President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has imposed stricter conditions on the implementation of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 national budget, making it clear that no item—particularly new programs and budgetary adjustments introduced during congressional deliberations—will be released automatically or outside the bounds of law and fiscal discipline.

 

In his Veto Message on the FY 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which totals PHP6.793 trillion, the President underscored that all increases in appropriations and new budgetary items approved by Congress are subject to conditional implementation. Their release will depend on the national government’s cash programming, observance of prudent fiscal management, compliance with budget execution rules and procedures, and approval of the President based on the government’s programmed priorities.

 

This policy direction reinforces the constitutional principle that while Congress authorizes the budget, the Executive Branch bears the responsibility to ensure its lawful, disciplined, and accountable execution, particularly in managing adjustments that may affect fiscal sustainability and national priorities.

 

“I stand firm in my constitutional duty to ensure the faithful execution of laws. Therefore, I hereby condition the implementation of certain provisions in this Act to conform to existing laws, policies, rules, and regulations,” President Marcos Jr. said during the signing of the FY 2026 GAA.  

 

Consistent with this directive, the President placed several Special Provisions under conditional implementation, such as the provisions on Quick Response Fund (QRF), Engineering and Administrative Overhead Expenses, Payment of Retirement Benefits and Pensions, Capacity Development Programs, and Foreign Service Posts. Funds for these items will only be released once all legal, procedural, and fiscal requirements are fully satisfied.

 

The President emphasized that budget passage is only the beginning, noting that the greater challenge lies in execution and accountability.

 

“The passage of the National Budget is only the beginning. Today, we commence with the most difficult task—to ensure proper execution and to institute true accountability,” President Marcos Jr. said.  

 

Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto earlier stressed that the FY 2026 national budget will be carried out with heightened discipline and transparency to ensure that authorized funds translate into tangible outcomes for the people.

 

“Hihigpitan natin ang pagpapatupad nito. We will make sure that what is written in law will be built on the ground—visible, trackable, and valuable to the people,” ES Recto said.

 

Beyond release conditions, the President also directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to closely manage the impact of congressional adjustments on agency performance. Agencies affected by new items or increased appropriations will be formally notified of changes in their budgets and required to submit revised performance targets, ensuring that funding increases are matched by measurable outputs and concrete results.

 

DBM Acting Secretary Rolando U. Toledo affirmed the Department’s commitment to strictly enforce the President’s directives and protect the integrity of the national budget.

 

“Buong paninindigan pong sisiguraduhin ng DBM na ang budget na ito ay pamamahalaan nang may disiplina, katapatan, at malinaw na layunin—para ang bawat piso ay siguradong mapupunta at magsisilbi sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Sec. Toledo said.

 

With these safeguards firmly in place, the Marcos Jr. administration affirms that the FY 2026 national budget is not merely a spending plan, but a governance instrument anchored on legality, fiscal discipline, and accountability to the Filipino people.

 

 

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09 January 2026

 

 

 

 

Mas pinahigpit ni President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang pagpapatupad ng FY 2026 national budget upang masiguro na walang pondo— lalo na ang mga bagong programa at mga binagong budget items na idinagdag ng Kongreso— ang basta-basta mailalabas o magagamit nang wala sa tamang proseso.

 

Sa kanyang Veto Message sa FY 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), na may kabuuang halagang PHP6.793 trillion, nilinaw ng Pangulo na lahat ng bagong items at dagdag na pondo na inaprubahan ng Kongreso ay hindi awtomatikong mare-release, at kailangan munang masigurong pasok ang mga ito sa cash programming ng pamahalaan, sumusunod sa fiscal safeguards, naaayon sa mga umiiral na budget rules at procedures, at may pahintulot ng Pangulo batay sa mga prayoridad ng gobyerno.

 

Pinagtitibay ng patakarang ito ang prinsipyong nasa Saligang Batas na habang ang Congress ang nagbibigay ng pahintulot sa budget, ang Executive Branch naman ang may tungkulin na tiyaking tama, maayos, at responsable ang pagpapatupad nito, lalo na sa mga pagbabago sa budget na maaaring makaapekto sa fiscal stability at mga pambansang prayoridad.

 

“I stand firm in my constitutional duty to ensure the faithful execution of laws. Therefore, I hereby condition the implementation of certain provisions in this Act to conform to existing laws, policies, rules, and regulations,” sinabi ni President Marcos Jr. sa paglagda ng FY 2026 GAA.

 

Alinsunod sa direktibang ito, inilagay ng Pangulo sa ilalim ng conditional implementation ang ilang Special Provisions, kabilang ang mga probisyon kaugnay ng Quick Response Fund (QRF), Engineering and Administrative Overhead Expenses, Payment of Retirement Benefits and Pensions, Capacity Development Programs, at Foreign Service Posts. Ang pondo para sa mga ito ay mailalabas lamang kapag natugunan na ang lahat ng legal, procedural, at fiscal requirements.

 

Binigyang-diin din ng Pangulo na ang pagpasa ng national budget ay simula pa lamang at ang mas mabigat na gawain ay ang tamang pagpapatupad nito at ang pagsiguro ng pananagutan sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.

 

“The passage of the National Budget is only the beginning. Today, we commence with the most difficult task—to ensure proper execution and to institute true accountability,” ani President Marcos Jr.

 

Nauna namang binigyang-diin ni Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto na ipatutupad ang FY 2026 national budget nang may mas mahigpit na disiplina at transparency upang masiguro na ang bawat pondong pinahintulutan ay may malinaw at konkretong resulta para sa mamamayan.

 

“Hihigpitan natin ang pagpapatupad nito. We will make sure that what is written in law will be built on the ground—visible, trackable, and valuable to the people,” ayon kay ES Recto.

 

Sa panig ng Department of Budget and Management, tiniyak ni DBM Acting Secretary Rolando U. Toledo na mahigpit na ipatutupad ng ahensya ang mga direktiba ng Pangulo upang mapangalagaan ang integridad ng national budget.

 

“Buong paninindigan pong sisiguraduhin ng DBM na ang budget na ito ay pamamahalaan nang may disiplina, katapatan, at malinaw na layunin—para ang bawat piso ay siguradong mapupunta at magsisilbi sa sambayanang Pilipino,” ani Sec. Toledo.

 

Sa mga itinakdang safeguard na ito, muling pinagtitibay ng administrasyong Marcos Jr. na ang FY 2026 national budget ay hindi lamang simpleng plano ng paggastos, kundi isang mahalagang kasangkapan ng pamamahala na nakabatay sa batas, fiscal discipline, at pananagutan sa taumbayan.