President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the proposed PHP6.793-trillion budget for 2026, Malacañang announced Tuesday, noting that the spending plan will prioritize both economic growth and improving the quality of life of Filipinos.

“To raise the quality of education in the Philippines and ease the lives of Filipinos,” Marcos approved the budget during a Cabinet meeting held in Malacañang earlier in the day, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

Castro said Marcos stressed the importance of aligning the 2026 budget with his administration’s goal of a more progressive and inclusive Philippines that ensures the welfare of every citizen and future generations.

“Sa ilalim ng Marcos administration, mahalaga ang kapakanan ng bawat isa at ang kinabukasan ng taumbayan tungo sa mas progresibo at maunlad na Bagong Pilipinas [New Philippines] (Under the Marcos administration, the welfare of every individual and the future of the people are vital in building a more progressive and developed Bagong Pilipinas),” Castro said.

The National Expenditure Program (NEP) is the national government’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. It serves as the basis of Congress in crafting the General Appropriations Bill, which then becomes the General Appropriations Act once signed into law by the President.

Under the Constitution, the NEP must be submitted to Congress within 30 days after the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Marcos is set to deliver his 4th SONA on July 28 before a joint session of Congress.

The proposed budget, the country’s highest to date, is expected to support key programs in education, infrastructure, digitalization, health, and social services. (PNA)