President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday vetoed several items under the Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) totaling nearly P92.5 billion in the proposed 2026 national budget, saying the move was meant to ensure public funds are spent strictly for clearly defined and essential purposes.

Speaking during the signing of the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2026, Marcos stressed that unprogrammed funds should not be treated as discretionary spending and must only be released under specific conditions and safeguards.

“To ensure that public funds are expended in clear service of national interests, I vetoed several items of appropriations with their purposes and corresponding Special Provisions under the UA, totaling almost P92.5 billion,” the President said.

Marcos acknowledged Congress’ efforts to limit unprogrammed appropriations to essential needs but said he opted to further reduce the amount to what he described as the “bare minimum,” noting that the UA level would be the lowest since 2019.

“Let me be clear: the Unprogrammed Appropriations are not blank checks. We will not allow the Unprogrammed Appropriations to be misused or treated as a backdoor for discretionary spending,” he said.

The President explained that the utilization of unprogrammed funds would be subject to strict triggers, tests, and careful validation before any release is approved.

He added that these safeguards would be enforced “without exception” to protect the public interest and support the country’s national development goals.

“We will make releases charged from the UA transparent, providing the necessary details on the funding source and the corresponding purpose,” Marcos said.

He also directed government agencies and departments to exercise prudent fiscal management to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of quality public services.

Addressing the public, Marcos said he understood concerns surrounding the national budget and assured Filipinos that the administration is committed to responsible spending.

“Sa aking 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 napupunta sa tamang proyekto at sa tunay na pangangailangan ng ating taumbayan (To my fellow countrymen, we feel your doubts and concerns about the previous budget. I stand with you in ensuring that every peso of tax goes to the right projects and truly serves the needs of the Filipino people),” the President said.

“Naririnig namin po kayo (We hear you),” he added.