MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed confidence that his administration, in partnership with Congress, will produce a “good, clean budget” for 2026 — one marked by transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
Marcos said lawmakers from both chambers have already identified areas where savings can be realized, particularly in infrastructure projects, in line with his directive to slash construction costs and curb wasteful spending.
“Even now, upon resumption of the budget hearings, marami nang nakita in both Houses, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, na magkakaroon pa tayo ng savings,” the President said. “I think we will be able to show that it is, in fact, possible to write a good, clean budget.”
He commended Congress’ decision to livestream the bicameral conference committee discussions on the 2026 General Appropriations Act — a first in Philippine legislative history — as a significant step toward transparency. The initiative aims to dispel suspicions of secret insertions and backroom negotiations that have marred previous budget processes.
Marcos earlier ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to reduce construction material costs by up to 50 percent, potentially saving between P30 billion and P45 billion. The President said these savings will be channeled into priority areas such as education, healthcare, and food security.
He also reiterated his call for institutional reforms to combat corruption, stressing the importance of robust systems that prevent irregularities from taking root.
“Kahit anong gawin mo, maghahanap ng paraan ‘yan para lokohin ang gobyerno. But if the systems are in place you make it harder and harder for those people to do ‘yung nangungurakot,” Marcos said. “The harder it becomes, the smaller the number of people who are still operating under corrupt practices. So, it’s an ongoing thing. It’s not something that you can solve with one fell swoop.”
The administration is banking on both fiscal discipline and transparency measures to ensure that the 2026 national budget reflects its “Bagong Pilipinas” vision of clean governance and efficient delivery of public services./PN
