President Marcos has mobilized a team for the "immediate review" of the 2026 national budget, and will work on it over the holidays, Malacañang said.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez said Marcos will be spending the Christmas holidays working in a bid to pass the 2026 national budget before the year ends. 

"The President will be spending the holidays working," Gomez said on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

"As early as now, the President is already mobilizing his team to facilitate the immediate review of all amounts and corresponding provisions agreed in the bi-cam and trace the changes made from the originally submitted National Expenditure Program (NEP)," he added.

According to the Press Secretary, the review initiated by the President will ensure that taxpayers' money will be put to good use.

"This thorough review will ensure that taxpayers’ money will be put to good use, contributing to the attainment of societal goals that will be felt by all Filipinos, consistent with his pronouncement in the last State of the Nation Address (SONA)," Gomez said.

Malacañang has been reiterating that the President is bent on passing the 2026 proposed national budget, and would not settle on a reenacted budget.

Gomez did not disclose the formation of the team for the budget's immediate review, but Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro earlier said that in reviewing the budget, the President will be joined by the members of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

And if the President needs to call in Cabinet secretaries for greater clarity, Castro added, he will summon whoever is necessary who heads the relevant agencies.