Malacañang on Thursday called on government agencies to revisit their respective spending plans for 2026 to check for any possible budget insertions.
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said other agencies should take the initiative to review their budget proposals in the 2026 National Expenditure Program to correct any discrepancies and prevent insertions.
The call was made a day after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the sweeping review of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) proposed 2026 budget to make the necessary corrections, following concerns over double entry and insertions of projects.
“Siguro sa ganitong klase na nakikita, mas maganda na rin na iyong ibang mga ahensiya tingnan din nila kung ano iyong nai-report nila at baka nga mayroong naisingit sa proposal nila na hindi na dapat maisingit (Maybe in this kind of situation, it would be better for other agencies to also look at what they have reported, and maybe something has been inserted in their proposal that should not have been inserted),” Castro said.
Castro said Marcos would also order a review of the spending plans of other government agencies if inconsistencies were found.
“Maganda na rin po nakita rito para sa umpisa pa lamang ay maisaayos na ang budget. At nirirespeto rin po natin ang liderato ng House of Representatives at kung anuman ang mangyayari dito, dapat lamang ay kung ano iyong naaayon sa Konstitusyon. (It is also good to see the errors from the beginning to fix the budget. And we also respect the leadership of the House of Representatives and whatever happens here, it should be in accordance with the Constitution),” she said.
“So, kung may iba pang mga ahensiya na involved ay ganoon din po ang magiging utos ng Pangulo, kung mayroon po talaga. Kasi ngayon po ay kailangan lang tingnan. Hindi pa po natin masasabi na talagang mayroong mga anomalyang naisingit (So, if there are other agencies with similar case, the President’s order will be the same, if there really are any. Because right now, we just need to review. We can’t yet say that there are really irregularities there).”
The party leadership of the House of Representatives, led by House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, on Wednesday sought to return the 2026 NEP to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) over concerns about duplicate funding and insertions in the budget proposals of the DPWH and other agencies like the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine National Police.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon vowed to complete the budget review within the two-week timeline, saying possible changes would be transmitted to Congress through errata. (PNA)