Palace: 2026 budget bill to be submitted for Marcos' nod before Christmas

Malacañang said Wednesday the enrolled copy of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) would be submitted to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for his review and approval before Christmas Day.

"Sa ating pagkakaalam, bago mag-Pasko ay isusumite nila 'yung enrolled copy ng GAB," Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing. 

(As far as we know, before Christmas they would submit the enrolled copy of GAB.) 

The Senate on Tuesday passed the bill outlining the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 on third and final reading.

With 17 affirmative votes, no negative votes and zero abstention, senators approved House Bill 4058 on final reading, a few days after it was passed on second reading on December 4.

Following the Senate's approval of the 2026 GAB, the bicameral conference committee will resolve disagreeing provisions in their respective versions of the 2026 national budget.

The bicameral meetings between members of the Senate and the House of Representatives with regard to the 2026 proposed budget are slated to be held on December 11 to 13, while the signing of next year's GAA is targeted for December 29. — VDV, GMA Integrated News