Malaca±ang: The Palace on Tuesday expressed support for making the bicameral budget deliberations open to the public to enhance transparency in the process. 'We respect the independence of the Congress pero kapag po ang pinag-usapan ay pagsasapubliko ng anumang transaksiyon patungkol sa gobyerno mas maganda po talaga na maging transparent ang bawat galaw ng taumbayan (but when it is about making any transaction involving the government public, it would be better if every move is transparent),' Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated in a press briefing.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Development Budget Coordination Committee has proposed the 2026 national budget at PHP6.793 trillion. This proposed budget represents 22 percent of the gross domestic product and is 7.4 percent higher than the 2025 national budget of PHP6.326 trillion. The Constitution mandates that the proposed national budget be submitted to Congress within 30 days following the President's State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman previously indicated that the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 is anticipated to be submitted to Congress two weeks after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his fourth SONA on July 28. The NEP is the national government's spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, which, upon approval by the House of Representatives and the Senate, becomes the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). The GAB will subsequently become the General Appropriations Act (GAA) once enacted into law.
When asked about the government's expectations following the NEP submission to Congress, Castro mentioned that President Marcos is eager to undertake actions that benefit both the people and the country. 'Tandaan po natin, muli ang gusto po ng Pangulo ay mapaganda ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino, maging mas magaan at mabigyan nang magandang serbisyong medikal at pangkalusugan (Let us remember, again, what the President wants is to make the lives of every Filipino better, easier and to be provided with good medical and health services),' she emphasized.
