Reenacted budget looms as review set

Recto: BBM mobilizes review teams

- By ALEXIS ROMERO and HELEN FLORES

A week-long reenactment of the 2025 national budget won't affect government operations, Malacañang said yesterday, as it emphasized the importance of thoroughly examining the P6.793-trillion proposed outlay for next year.

"It will be better for everyone that Malacañang review the budget carefully. It may take a week to go over the budget with a fine-tooth comb," Executive Secretary Ralph Recto told The STAR.

"A reenacted budget for a week will not affect government operations. A careful review of the budget will improve its execution," he added.

President Marcos has decided to skip Christmas break so he can review the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, Malacañang said yesterday.

“The President will be spending the holidays working,” Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez said when asked where Marcos intends to celebrate Christmas.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro, at a recent press briefing, said the President and executive officials would forgo any holiday break to ensure that the proposed General Appropriations Act (GAA) is thoroughly reviewed and scrutinized.

The House of Representatives on Monday extended its session calendar to give the bicameral conference committee (bicam) more time to submit and sign the report on the 2026 national budget.

The House adopted a new legislative calendar, with the resumption of session set on Dec. 29 and the adjournment on Dec. 30, instead of Dec. 23.

Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian earlier said both chambers were scheduled to ratify the bicam report on Dec. 28 and prepare it for transmittal to Malacanang.

For House committee on appropriations chairperson and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing, Marcos is likely to sign the 2026 budget on Dec. 29.

On Monday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III raised the possibility of this year’s national budget being reenacted in the first week of January.