Marcos vows to reject misaligned 2026 spending bill

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday warned that he would veto the proposed 2026 national budget if it fails to fully align with the government’s National Expenditure Program (NEP).

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), the President made it clear that he would not sign any version of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) that deviates from his administration’s priorities or allows misuse of public funds.

“Therefore, for the 2026 National Budget, I will return any proposed General Appropriations Bill that is not fully aligned with the National Expenditure Program,” he said, drawing resounding applause.

He further underscored his commitment to fiscal discipline: “I am willing to do this even if we end up with a reenacted budget.”

The President’s remarks came after his recent inspection of flood-affected areas battered by the southwest monsoon and recent typhoons.

Marcos cited several substandard and allegedly fraudulent flood control projects that, instead of mitigating damage, had made things worse.

“Huwag na po tayong magkunwari. Alam naman ng buong madla na nagkaka-racket sa mga proyekto,” he said.

(Let’s stop pretending. The public knows very well that there are rackets going on in these projects.)

“Mga kickback, mga initiative, errata, SOP, for the boys. Kaya sa mga nakikipagsabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino!” he added.

(Kickbacks, so-called initiatives, errata, SOPs, ‘for the boys.’ So to those conspiring to steal public funds and rob our people of their future have some shame before your fellow Filipinos!)

To prevent further abuses, Marcos ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to submit a comprehensive inventory of flood control projects either initiated or completed over the last three years.

He also directed Regional Project Monitoring Committees to verify the status of these projects and flag those that are unfinished, failed, or fictitious.

The list, he said, will be published for transparency.

He then called on the public to help validate the findings and participate in the investigation.

“Kailangan malaman ng taumbayan ang buong katotohanan. Kailangang may managot sa naging matinding pinsala at katiwalian,” Marcos emphasized.

Earlier this month, the President approved the P6.793-trillion national budget for fiscal year 2026.

The proposed budget is positioned as a fiscal consolidation strategy aimed at funding programs aligned with national development goals, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic recovery.

Marcos reiterated his administration’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and emphasized the importance of using public funds effectively and transparently.