Palace to Congress: Don’t abuse power of the purse’

MANILA, Philippines — Congress should not abuse its “power of the purse,” Malacañang said yesterday, as it renewed its call to open bicameral committee deliberations on the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 to the public.

This was Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro’s response when asked to expound on President Marcos’ warning during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that he would veto the 2026 budget if it would be deemed not fully aligned with the executive’s priorities.

Reacting to Marcos’ message, Senate President Francis Escudero asserted that Congress has the constitutional power of the purse and Malacañang cannot make a rubber stamp of the legislature.

Castro pointed out that the National Expenditure Program, which Malacañang submits to Congress after the President’s SONA, has been extensively studied by the President and his Cabinet secretaries.

“The so-called power of the purse should not be abused with insertions that will not truly
 benefit the people,” Castro said at a Palace briefing.

“That’s all the President wants, he wants the budget to be clean and as much as possible the bicam conference on the 2026 budget will be open to the public,” she said.

Castro clarified the President is unlikely to veto amendments that are justifiable.

“If the insertions are considered important, they will likely not be vetoed, but if they see that they are unwarranted and could only lead to abuse, the President will not hesitate to veto them,” the Palace press officer said.

Article VI, Section 27 of the 1987 Constitution gives the President the power to exercise line-item veto in an appropriation, revenue or tariff bill.

In his SONA last Monday, Marcos warned against mangling the national budget, saying he would not approve any outlay that is not in line with the government’s plans for the nation.

“For the 2026 national budget, I will return any proposed general appropriations bill that is not fully aligned with the National Expenditure Program,” the President said.

“And further, I am willing to do this even if we end up with a reenacted budget,” he added.

Marcos made the remark after admitting that some of the country’s flood control projects are substandard and vowing to press charges against those involved in irregularities that worsened the effects of recent cyclones.

“So, with the help of the people, with the help of all of you, let’s keep an eye on this bicam conference when it comes to the 2026 budget, and the President doesn’t want something like that (substandard flood control projects) to happen again,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, Castro said the Department of Budget and Management is expected to submit the proposed general appropriations bill to Congress on time.