President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will spend the holiday break working as Malacañang begins an immediate, line-by-line review of the proposed 2026 national budget following the conclusion of bicameral conference committee deliberations, the Palace said Tuesday.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez said the President has already mobilized his economic and budget teams to scrutinize the final amounts and provisions agreed upon by lawmakers and to trace changes from the originally submitted National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“The President will be spending the holidays working,” Gomez said.
“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 NEP,” he added.
Gomez said the review aims to ensure that public funds are used efficiently and in line with the administration’s priorities.
“This thorough review will ensure that taxpayers’ money will be put to good use, contributing to the attainment of societal goals that will be felt by all Filipinos,” he said, adding that the process is consistent with the President’s commitments outlined in his most recent State of the Nation Address.
Meanwhile, the President dropped an early Christmas present for his supporters in the form of a year-end vlog answering today’s most pressing questions — from what to do with unwanted exchange gifts to how much leche flan is the appropriate portion size.
“Amid the many, many problems we face in the office every day, adding to the many things I have to think about are these questions we received,” Mr. Marcos in a mix of English and Filipino lamented in jest.
“So now we will try to answer these one by one,” he added.
The Chief Executive said it is of chief importance that one should accept an undesired present with a smile and “thank you” regardless of what they receive.
As for how much leche flan to take, he recommended getting as much as one wants since it’s Christmas anyway.
In response to a similar question about how much lumpiang shanghai to take, the President said one’s happiness takes precedence.
“We should enjoy. Let’s not think about restraining our happiness. So again, to those preparing food, cook plenty so there’s enough to take home,” Marcos advised.
Speaking of no restraint, he has a clever response to body-shaming relatives during the holidays.
When one is told they have gotten fat, Marcos said the proper response is: “I know, right? You too!”
Under the Constitution, the President has the power to veto specific items in the General Appropriations Act.
The Palace has repeatedly said Mr. Marcos will exercise that authority to ensure fiscal discipline and alignment with national development goals.
The Bicameral Conference Committee is expected to sign the bicam report on Dec. 28, with ratification set for December 29, leaving the President a narrow two-day window from December 30 to 31 to review the measure.
