MARCOS SIGNS PEOPLE-ORIENTED P6.793T NATIONAL BUDGET FOR 2026

“We are committing to implement a budget that serves the people.”

Thus said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as he signed on Monday the P6.793 trillion national budget for Fiscal Year 2026, sustaining the momentum in education reform, health protection, food security, social security, and job creation.

During the signing ceremony at Malacañan Palace, President Marcos assured the public that the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) or Republic Act No. 12314 is appropriately aligned with the government’s medium-and long-term development plans and is focused on uplifting the lives of the Filipinos.

“The 2026 national budget shall sustain our momentum in education reform, in health protection, in food security, in social security, and in job creation,” the President added.

As mandated by the Constitution, education received the highest budgetary priority, with the largest allocation of more than P1.34 trillion, funding additional teaching and non-teaching plantilla positions in public schools, teacher promotions and reclassification, and classroom construction nationwide.

The health sector was given P448.125 billion to support the promotion of Universal Health Care (UHC), including the P1 billion budget for the Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) Program in local government hospitals, covering in-patient services in basic accommodation. The budget also provides funding for disease surveillance, rapid response mechanisms, and sustainable health financing.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the government’s social health insurance agency, received nearly P130 billion, including the P60 billion ordered restored in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision.

“These funds shall support preventive healthcare and the improvement of PhilHealth benefit packages, lowering the out-of-pocket expenses of Filipino families,” the President said.

Meanwhile, the agricultural sector was allotted over P297 billion for the modernization of supply systems and support for farmers and fisherfolk, including the establishment of farm-to-market roads that will connect farming communities to economic hubs, lessen transportation costs, and minimize post-harvest losses.

The government will also transform the social protection system by providing it with a budget of more than P270 billion, which will be used to enhance the quality of life for Filipinos, safeguard the welfare of all sectors, and foster human capital development.

Through these responsive and rationalized flagship programs, the President said the budget aims to direct the country towards achieving a single-digit poverty rate by 2028.

To uphold the welfare of the country’s defenders and peacemakers, the GAA also supports the implementation of the updated base pay schedule and increased subsistence allowance for military and uniformed personnel.

President Marcos acknowledged that with the approval of the 2026 GAA, the 2025 GAA was deemed reenacted and remained in force and effect until January 4, 2026.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall consider the expenditures lawfully incurred under the reenacted budget in formulating its fund release guidelines for FY 2026, the President directed.

The Chief Executive also expressed gratitude to Congress for the “principled exercise of its power of the purse and for the meaningful reforms undertaken to widen participation to strengthen accountability throughout the budget authorization process.”