Budget watchdogs are urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to exercise his veto power over more than ₱1 trillion in allocated funds for 2026, warning that “pork barrel” spending remains deeply embedded in the national expenditure plan despite recent fiscal reforms.

In a joint assessment released Friday, Jan. 2, the Roundtable for Inclusive Development (RFID) and the People’s Budget Coalition identified three distinct categories of questionable spending totaling ₱1.05 trillion.

The groups are calling for a combination of direct presidential vetoes, conditional implementation, and the delayed release of funds to ensure transparency and prevent the misuse of taxpayer money.

The scrutiny comes even as the coalitions acknowledged strides in the government’s spending priorities. Total allocations for education and agriculture have climbed above the ₱1 trillion mark, while the administration has increased funding for disaster mitigation and flood management.

Furthermore, the groups noted a ₱110 billion reduction in risks associated with overpriced or redundant public works projects, signaling an improvement in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) procurement oversight.

However, the watchdogs raised the ₱243 billion in “shadow pork” hidden within unprogrammed appropriations. These funds, which exist outside the regular budget and are typically triggered by windfall revenues or multi-lateral loans, are notoriously difficult to monitor.

The coalitions urged the executive branch to veto these items entirely, arguing they lack the necessary oversight to prevent corruption.

A larger segment of the budget, totaling ₱600 billion in “hard pork” or infrastructure projects, has been recommended for intensive citizen monitoring. Within this category, approximately ₱180 billion in DPWH projects remain at high risk of overpricing or duplication.

The coalitions recommended that the government update its public works manuals to prioritize nature-based engineering solutions and mandate multisectoral oversight to prevent the leakage of funds.

The report also took aim at “soft pork,” defined as ₱210 billion in social assistance and confidential funds that are vulnerable to political patronage. These include the ₱63 billion Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and the ₱51 billion medical assistance program for indigent patients.

To curb potential abuse, the watchdogs proposed an executive order to establish rules-based guidelines for these "ayuda" programs, alongside stricter controls on the ₱11 billion earmarked for confidential and intelligence funds.