Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday announced his decision to veto ₱92.5 billion in proposed unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 national budget approved by Congress.
In signing the ₱6.793-trillion 2026 General Appropriations Act, the President stressed that unprogrammed appropriations must be subject to clear, specified conditions and strict safeguards to prevent misuse.
“To ensure that public funds are expended in clear service of national interests, I vetoed several items of appropriations—together with their purposes and corresponding Special Provisions—under the unprogrammed appropriations, totaling almost ₱92.5 billion,” Marcos said in a statement released by Malacañang.
While recognizing Congress’ effort to confine unprogrammed appropriations to essential needs, the President said he further reduced the amount to what he described as the minimum level—the lowest since 2019.
“Let me be clear: Unprogrammed appropriations are not blank checks. We will not allow them to be misused or treated as a backdoor for discretionary spending,” he stressed.
Marcos added that unprogrammed appropriations are governed by firm guardrails and may be used only when specific triggering conditions are met. Any release, he said, will be subject to thorough verification.
“These safeguards will be enforced without exception to ensure that public funds serve the national interest and advance the goals of national progress,” the President said.
He also committed to full transparency in the use of unprogrammed appropriations, including the disclosure of funding sources and the specific purposes for which funds are released.
“We will make all releases charged to the unprogrammed appropriations transparent, with the necessary details on their source and intended use,” Marcos added.
The President further directed all concerned government agencies and departments to exercise prudent fiscal management to ensure the delivery of continuous and quality public services.
Addressing public concerns over the budget, Marcos said: “Sa ating mga kababayan, dama po namin ang inyong agam-agam at pangamba sa nakaraang budget. Kaisa ninyo ako sa pagnanais na masigurong ang bawat pisong buwis ay mapupunta sa tamang proyekto at sa tunay na pangangailangan ng ating taumbayan (To our countrymen, we feel your misgivings and fear in the last budget. I am one with you in wanting to ensure that every tax peso will go to the right project and to the real needs of our people).”
“Naririnig namin po kayo (We hear you),” he added.