Marcos imposed stricter conditions in releasing funds under P6.793-T budget — DBM

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has imposed stricter conditions in releasing the funds under the P6.793-trillion national budget this year, particularly new programs and budgetary adjustments introduced during congressional deliberations, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

In a statement issued Friday, the DBM, citing Marcos’ veto message on the Fiscal Year 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), said that no budget will be released automatically or outside the bounds of law and fiscal discipline.

The Budget Department said the President made it clear that all increases in appropriations and new budgetary items approved by Congress “are subject to conditional implementation.”

In particular, Marcos mandated that funds for adjustments and new items approved by Congress in the GAA will be released depending on the national government’s cash programming, observance of prudent fiscal management, compliance with budget execution rules and procedures, and approval of the President based on the government’s programmed priorities.

The DBM said that the policy direction reinforces the constitutional principle that while Congress authorizes the budget, the executive branch bears the responsibility to ensure its lawful, disciplined, and accountable execution, particularly in managing adjustments that may affect fiscal sustainability and national priorities.

“I stand firm in my constitutional duty to ensure the faithful execution of laws. Therefore, I hereby condition the implementation of certain provisions in this Act to conform to existing laws, policies, rules, and regulations,”  Marcos Jr. said in signing the 2026 GAA.

According to the DBM, the President placed several special provisions under conditional implementation, such as the provisions on Quick Response Fund (QRF), Engineering and Administrative Overhead Expenses, Payment of Retirement Benefits and Pensions, Capacity Development Programs, and Foreign Service Posts. 

The Budget Department said that “funds for these items will only be released once all legal, procedural, and fiscal requirements are fully satisfied.”

“The President emphasized that budget passage is only the beginning, noting that the greater challenge lies in execution and accountability,” it said.

The DBM added that Marcos also directed the agency to closely manage the impact of congressional adjustments on agency performance. 

“Agencies affected by new items or increased appropriations will be formally notified of changes in their budgets and required to submit revised performance targets, ensuring that funding increases are matched by measurable outputs and concrete results,” it said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News