Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed confidence that the government will craft ‘a good, clean budget’ for 2026 as Congress resumes deliberations on the proposed national spending plan. Speaking to reporters here after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Saturday, Marcos said both chambers of Congress have identified potential savings in government projects, particularly in infrastructure, following his directive to slash construction costs.

According to Philippines News Agency, the President earlier announced that the Senate and House of Representatives have agreed to livestream the upcoming bicameral conference committee deliberations for the 2026 national budget-a first in Philippine legislative history-to prevent last-minute insertions and backroom deals that have long stirred controversy. Marcos earlier ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to reduce the cost of construction materials by up to 50 percent, a move projected to save the government between PHP30 billion and PHP45 billion.

The savings, he said, will be redirected to priority sectors such as health, education, and food security. The President also underscored the importance of systemic reforms to curb red tape and corruption in public spending. ‘Kahit anong gawin mo, maghahanap ng paraan ‘yan para lokohin ang gobyerno (Whatever you do, they will find ways to deceive the government). But if the systems are in place you make it harder and harder for those people to do ‘yung nangungurakot (commit corruption),’ Marcos said.

The President emphasized that the harder it becomes, the smaller the number of people who are still operating under corrupt practices. ‘So, it’s an ongoing thing. It’s not something that you can solve with one fell swoop,’ he added, underlining the continuous nature of the fight against corruption.