President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the proposed P6.793 trillion national budget for fiscal year 2026, Malacanang announced on Tuesday.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the proposed budget reflects the administration’s commitment to enhancing the quality of education and improving the lives of every Filipino.

Castro shared that during a Cabinet meeting held at the Palace on Tuesday morning, the President stressed that the 2026 budget must not only drive economic growth but more importantly uplift the quality of life of all Filipinos.

“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,” Castro said.

The budget will be presented to the 20th Congress when it opens on July 28.

The proposed budget is equivalent to 22 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the Department of Budget and Management said.

This reflects a 7.4 percent increase from the FY 2025 budget of P6.326 trillion, reflecting the government’s commiment to fostering inclusive economic growth while maintaining fiscal discipline.

The proposed national budget integrates key measures to enhance climate and disaster resilience, reinforce social protection systems, and deepen the devolution of basic services to local government units, DBM said.

Budget Secretary ara DutAmenah Pangandaman said the DBM received agency budget proposals totaling P 10.101 trillion.

''However, given the limited fiscal space and the government’s commitment to gradually reduce the fiscal deficit over the medium term, the DBM undertook a rigorous evaluation process,'' a statement said.D

“With limited resources, we focused on prioritizing programs and projects that deliver measurable impact, aligned with our national goals, and are ready for implementation. We also carefully evaluated agencies’ absorptive capacity to ensure effective utilization of funds,” Pangandaman said. DMS