President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday signed into law the P6.793-trillion budget for this year was held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace, which was attended by key government officials, senators and congressmen.

Marcos Jr. also vetoed nearly P92.5-billion worth of line items under the unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The unprogrammed funds under the 2026 GAA were reduced to its “absolute bare minimum,” or at the level lowest since 2019, to ensure that public funds are expended in clear service of national interests.

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the Executive Branch would ensure that the 2026 General Appropriations Act will satisfy not only the legal and technical requirements but, more importantly, the needs of the Filipino people.

For a brief period, the government operated under a reenacted budget as it was only on December 29, 2025 when the Executive Branch received the ratified national budget from Congress.

Marcos said that his administration will enforce such safeguards “without exceptions” to serve the public interest and to advance the national development goals.

“We will make releases charged from the [unprogrammed appropriations] transparent, providing the necessary details on the funding source and the corresponding purpose,” he said.

He also directed the national government, especially concerned departments and agencies, to exercise prudent fiscal management to ensure uninterrupted quality public service.

Some lawmakers had flagged the proposed trillion-peso budget as it was supposedly marred with “grilled pork” or discretionary funds in bits and pieces, with some saying that there was no substantial allocation for genuine agrarian reform or national industrialization.

Meanwhile, amid anomalies in flood control projects, the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget had allocated P2.49 billion for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of existing flood control and drainage systems, structures, and other related facilities.

The Department of Public Works and Highways maintained that its proposed budget contained no funding for new locally-funded flood control projects, which was in line with Marcos’ directive to streamline the agency’s expenditures.