Following the approval and signature of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the 2026 national budget, Palace officials clarified on Monday the items vetoed from unprogrammed appropriations.

During a press briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC), Executive Secretary Ralph Recto announced that the President removed roughly ₱92.5 billion in unprogrammed funds.

“There are roughly 10 items in the unprogrammed fund that were vetoed,” Recto said. The vetoed items are as follows:

  1. Budgetary support to GOCCs – ₱6.895 billion

  2. Fiscal support to the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) program – ₱4.32 billion

  3. Insurance for government assets – ₱2 billion

  4. Prior years’ LGU shares – ₱14 million

  5. Revitalizing the Automotive Industry for Competitiveness Enhancement (RACE) program – ₱250 million

  6. GOP counterpart to foreign-assisted projects – ₱35.769 billion

  7. Payments of PS requirements to various agencies – ₱43.245 billion

  8. SAGIP Program – ₱80 billion

  9. Nampeidai property – ₱210 million

  10. Public health emergency benefits – ₱6.7 billion

  11. Marawi siege victims' compensation under the NEP (National Expenditure Program) – ₱2 billion

Recto noted that after these cuts, only three major items remain in the unprogrammed fund, totaling roughly ₱150 billion:

  • Support to foreign-assisted projects – ₱97.305 billion

  • Revised AFP modernization program – ₱50 billion

  • Risk management program – ₱3.6 billion

Addressing concerns over excessive bonuses in government, Recto said the executive branch has no such payouts. He also highlighted that the budget for Congress was reduced from ₱50 billion in 2025 to ₱38.6 billion in 2026, a cut of roughly ₱12 billion.

DBM Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo provided further details on the Congressional allocation:

  • Senate NEP – from ₱7.5 billion → ₱8.5 billion

  • Senate Electoral Tribunal – from ₱329 million → ₱389 million

  • Commission on Appointments – from ₱1.089 billion → ₱1.68 billion

  • House of Representatives – from ₱17.2 billion → ₱27.7 billion

  • Electoral Tribunal – ₱255 million (unchanged)

Palace officials reiterated that the 2026 National Budget reflects the administration’s commitment to responsible and transparent spending, balancing key government programs while removing excess allocations.