President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (MB File Photo)
President Marcos is set to sign the 2026 national budget on Monday, Jan. 5, after undertaking a thorough review of the P6.793-trillion measure over the holidays.
Presidential Communications Officer (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez confirmed on Sunday that the President will sign the budget on Monday.
"Yes, signing is tomorrow," Gomez said in a text message.
On Dec. 24, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said Marcos will be signing the proposed national budget during the first week of January, which meant that a reenacted budget was used in the first days of the year.
As early as Dec. 23, Marcos mobilized a team for the immediate review of the national budget during the holidays.
Gomez then said that "the President will be spending the holidays working. 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)."
Malacañang also revealed on New Year's Eve that the Chief Executive was staying at the Palace to review the budget.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Wednesday, Dec. 31, that Marcos was currently at the palace, where he welcomed the new year with his family.
On Dec. 30, Recto confirmed that Malacañang received the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) amounting to a historic P6.793 trillion, which the House of Representatives ratified on Dec. 29.
The expected signing of the 2026 national budget would be almost a week late compared to the signing of the 2025 budget which took place on Dec. 30 in 2024.