Malacañang has defended the inclusion of P250 billion in unprogrammed appropriations under the proposed 2026 national budget, saying the funds serve as a vital contingency reserve for emergencies and unforeseen needs, with President Marcos himself ensuring they are properly managed.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after lawmakers called to remove the entire unprogrammed appropriations from the 2026 budget.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Oct. 8, Castro rejected the calls, saying the move is neither realistic nor responsible.

“Parang hindi po yata maaaring mangyari yan (That does not seem possible),” she said, stressing that the government must retain the fiscal capacity to respond swiftly to emergencies or national priorities not covered by regular allocations.

According to Castro, the Palace recognizes the importance of maintaining flexibility in government spending, especially during times of crisis.

“Marami pong nagiging programa ang gobyerno at maaari pong magamit po ito sa pangangailangan, kung may kailangan mga emergency cases or situations (The government implements many programs that may require funding during emergencies or unexpected situations),” she said.

The Palace Press Officer assured the public that these funds are not easily spent and undergo strict procedures before release.

“Kahit po ito ay nasa UA or unprogrammed appropriations, ang ibig ho sabihin nito ay hindi po ito agad-agad makukuha kung wala pong sapat na dokumento (Even if these are under unprogrammed appropriations, that doesn’t mean they can be accessed right away without complete documentation),” Castro explained.

She added that President Marcos personally ensures that unprogrammed funds are released only after compliance with established conditions to protect public resources.

“‘Yan na po ang ginagawa ng Pangulo... Dahil po ito ay nasa ilalim po ng conditional implementation. Ibig sabihin po pinangalagaan ng Pangulo ang pondo ng bayan (That is exactly what the President is doing. Since these are under conditional implementation, it means he is safeguarding the people’s money),” Castro said.

“Kaya malinaw din po na mababantayan ang anumang pondo na masasabi nating nasa under unprogrammed appropriations (It’s clear that all funds under unprogrammed appropriations will remain closely monitored),” she added.