Manila: Malaca±ang on Wednesday expressed confidence in the timely passage of the proposed PHP6.793 trillion national budget for 2026. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has no plan to certify the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) as urgent.

According to Philippines News Agency, Castro mentioned that there is no need for urgency because the legislative process is nearing completion, and the enrolled copy of the GAB is expected to be submitted before Christmas. On Tuesday, the Senate approved the proposed 2026 budget on third and final reading, forwarding the spending plan to the bicameral conference committee for reconciliation of differing provisions.

Earlier that day, the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), in a session with the President at Malaca±ang Palace, agreed on the proposed timeline for the budget's passage. Senate President Vicente Sotto III announced that the bicameral conference committee will meet from December 12 to 14, with members prepared to work through the weekend to keep the deliberations on track.

The proposed PHP6.793 trillion national budget, aligned with the Medium-Term Fiscal Program, aims to gradually reduce the fiscal deficit and debt, create more jobs, and decrease poverty to single digits by the end of Marcos' term. On December 4, Malaca±ang urged Congress to speed up the budget's passage, cautioning that reliance on a reenacted 2025 spending program could impede government operations. A reenacted budget uses the previous year's allocations and is enacted when a new appropriations law is not passed on time.