Marcos open to 'sweeping review' of 2026 budget of other agencies

President Marcos is open to ordering a “sweeping review” of the proposed 2026 budget across government agencies, not just the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Malacañang said.

- ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS and ELLSON QUISMORIO

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after lawmakers flagged alleged anomalies in the proposed budgets of several agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, and Department of Health.

In a press briefing, Castro said Marcos is ready to issue similar directives to other agencies if questionable items are found in their allocations under the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The House had uncovered supposed questionable allocations such as P8 billion for PNP firearms procurement, P1 billion for DOH beautification funds, and schemes tied to farm-to-market roads under the DA.

"These details must be formally reported to the President because it is difficult to judge without full documentation," Castro said.

The Palace Press Officer explained that for now, the President has instructed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and DPWH to carefully evaluate the flagged items and submit corrections through the proper process.

Budget corrections through errata

Castro said that under budget rules, amendments should be transmitted through errata sheets, not by returning the NEP to the DBM or the Office of the President.

Political party leaders in the House of Representatives had earlier pushed for the return of the 2026 NEP to the DBM.