President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 on January 5, allocating a record P1.015 trillion to the Department of Education and P530.9 billion to the DPWH. He vetoed P92.5 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, leaving P150.9 billion, while vowing prudent spending to curb corruption. The budget bars political involvement in aid distribution, though critics question the remaining funds.
Amid concerns over last year's corruption scandals, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 on Monday, January 5, at Malacañang. He acknowledged public doubts about the previous budget, labeled the 'most corrupt ever,' and pledged that 'every peso from taxes will go to the right projects and the needs of the people.'
The budget includes a special provision barring 'political involvement' in the distribution of financial assistance, a first to prevent patronage. However, it lacks prohibitions on political endorsements or guarantee letters for ayuda programs. Executive Secretary Ralph Recto stated that budget execution is a 'purely executive function' with no pork barrel.
For education, the Department of Education (DepEd) receives a record P1.015 trillion, the first to hit the UNESCO benchmark. This includes P65 billion for constructing 24,964 new classrooms, with P85.3 billion overall for repairs and construction. Education Secretary Sonny Angara said, 'In 2026, DepEd is focused on improving education quality through adequate facilities, broader access to digital tools, and continuous teacher support.'
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) gets the second-highest allocation of P530.9 billion, down from the original P850 billion proposal due to the 2025 corruption scandal in flood control projects. Around P250 billion from flood control was reallocated to agencies like DepEd, Health, and Agriculture, leaving only P15.7 billion for foreign-assisted flood control.
Unprogrammed appropriations were cut to P150.9 billion, the lowest since 2019, limited to three items: support for foreign-assisted projects (P97.3 billion), risk management (P3.6 billion), and AFP modernization (P50 billion). Lawmakers like Rep. Edgar Erice and Leila de Lima are preparing a Supreme Court petition on its constitutionality, recalling the prior ruling against the PhilHealth fund transfer.
The Senate called it the 'cleanest budget ever,' while Speaker Faustino Dy III welcomed the signing and promised oversight. However, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan criticized it for 'wrong priorities.' Allocations for health (P448.1 billion), agriculture (P297.1 billion), and social welfare (P270.2 billion) aim to support development and security.
