Marcos is scheduled to sign the 2026 budget within the first week of the month. Although this is the first reenacted budget under Marcos, it is not the first time the administration had issues with the spending bill. “For the 2026 national budget, I will return any proposed general appropriations bill that is not fully aligned with the National Expenditure Program (NEP),” the President said. Contrary to the administration’s claims, Makabayan said that the 2026 national budget is not a “pork-free budget.”“This is a brazen lie. The group said that in total, LGU pork in the 2026 budget amounts to P73.2 billion.

Source: Philippine Star January 01, 2026 16:31 UTC