President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to sign the ₱6.793-trillion 2026 national budget on Monday, Jan. 5, following a comprehensive review of the spending measure during the holiday break as confirmed by the Palace.
Meanwhile, Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice said he would elevate the supposed unprogrammed funds in the 2026 national budget to the Supreme Court if President Marcos Jr. did not veto them.
In a related development, Budget watchdog Social Watch Philippines (SWP) urged the President to veto several “highly questionable items” from the ratified 2026 national budget bill. SWP said the assailed items amounted to ₱319.04 billion.
In a text message to Manila Standard on Sunday, Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez confirmed the enactment of the General Appropriations Act..
“Yes, [the signing is] tomorrow,” he said.
Earlier, Palace Press Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Marcos was in Malacañang to welcome the New Year with his family.
She added that the president will review the budget during the holidays.
On December 30, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto announced that Malacañang had received the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB),
The budget measure, amounting to ₱6.793 trillion was ratified by the House of Representatives the day before.
In comparison, the 2025 national budget was signed on Dec, 30, 2024, making the expected signing of the 2026 budget nearly a week behind schedule.
In a dzBB interview, Erice said he would file a petition at the High Court to challenge the constitutionality of the unprogrammed funds should the Chief Executive sign the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 in the first week of January.
“My problem is about the constitutionality of the unprogrammed appropriations, and if the President does not veto them, our legal team is ready… right now, we are making a draft of the petition for the Supreme Court,” he said, citing Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando who has said that the unprogrammed appropriations were unconstitutional.
Even if the 2026 budget is more organized than the past three budgets, it still has unprogrammed appropriations that must not be included, Erice stressed.
“For example, the retirement of the teachers, that is mandatory. The teachers’ increase… The should be under the programmed,” Erice said.
The SWP also cited the bicam members’ last-minute insertions and lump-sum appropriations as a return to the old pork barrel system—despite public outrage over corruption and wasteful spending.
“The 2026 budget is not people-centered, despite what the Bicam Committee claims. It is extremely disappointing how Congress ignores the public’s anger over unprecedented levels of corruption and the alarming use of public funds to promote patronage politics,” said SWP co-convenor Dr. Ma. Victoria Raquiza.
