Palace ready to face petitions vs. 2026 national budget

Malacanang on Tuesday said it is ready to face petitions that will be filed before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the constitutionality of the 2026 national budget.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the remarks after House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Caloocan 2nd District Representative Edgar Erice said he is currently drafting a petition to challenge the 2026 General Appropriations Act before the SC over provisions on unprogrammed appropriations (UA).

"May karapatan sila na dumulog sa Korte Suprema at tanungin kung unconstitutional ang parte na 'to ng national budget," Castro told reporters in a Palace briefing.

(They have the right to file petitions with the SC and challenge if this part of the national budget is unconstitutional.)

"Kapag sila ay nag-file ng petition, sasagot ang administration at tingnan natin kung ano ang magiging decision ng Korte Suprema," she said.

(If they will file a petition, the administration will answer it and let us see what will be the decision of the SC.)

Unprogrammed appropriations are budget items that will only be funded if there is excess government revenue and other funding sources, such as loans or special laws.

On Monday, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. signed the 2026 budget earlier in the day, with the P92.5 billion of the P243 billion unprogrammed appropriations vetoed.

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said there are three remaining items under UA: support for foreign-assisted projects (P97 billion), military modernization (P50 billion), and risk management related to private-public partnership projects (P3.6 billion).

"Confident sila na ang ginawang budget ang pinakamalinis, pinakamaayos at ito ay para sa taumbayan," said Castro.

(They are confident this budget is the cleanest, most transparent, and for the people.)

Senate finance committee chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian earlier stood firm that there would no longer be a source of corruption in the unprogrammed appropriations, as the Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Programs (SAGIP), which previously housed lump-sum funds for government infrastructure projects and social services, has been removed from the proposed spending plan. 

For Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Marcos wanted the 2026 budget to be “squeaky clean” by vetoing the P92.5-billion worth of unprogrammed funds. 

“I know the 2026 budget is by far the cleanest ever but it seems the President wants it squeaky clean. He even highlighted the Senate provision that prevents political patronage by politicians,” he told reporters in a Viber message. —AOL, GMA Integrated News