2026 budget: Marcos urged to veto P319B in questionable items

MANILA, Philippines — As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to sign the government’s 2026 spending bill into law this week, a budget watchdog urged him to veto about ₱319 billion worth of “highly questionable” items in the ratified measure. Social Watch Philippines (SWP) alleged that “major last-minute adjustments” were made outside public scrutiny, undermining the