Misamis oriental: Members of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Board have approved a PHP3.371-billion budget for 2026, marking a significant reduction from the initially proposed PHP4.495 billion.

According to Philippines News Agency, Provincial Administrator Ruel Gayoso mentioned in an interview that Governor Juliette Uy might exercise her veto power on specific budget provisions if they are considered unrealistic or detrimental to social services in the province. Gayoso highlighted that the governor has a 15-day window from the budget approval date to issue any vetoes. If any provisions are vetoed, they will be sent back to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) for further assessment.

The decision to approve the reduced budget followed extensive deliberations among the board members. Board Member Rommel Maslog, who chairs the committee on finance and appropriations, recommended the approval of the decreased budget. The 2026 budget is notably lower than the province's 2025 budget of PHP5.8 billion.

Maslog stated that the approved budget aligns with a realistic and implementable fiscal strategy, echoing Governor Uy's recent Statement of the Province Address. He noted that the governor revealed the province's actual financial capacity is slightly over PHP3 billion, based on the latest collections.

Maslog also pointed out that the provincial government is currently dealing with unpaid obligations, including unimplemented projects, unpaid suppliers, and delayed salaries for job order workers. These financial challenges stem from previously bloated budgets that surpassed the province's income.

The province's actual income is approximately PHP370 million, which served as the primary basis for the 2026 budget. Of this amount, 67.21 percent is sourced from the National Tax Allocation, 26 percent from locally generated income, and 6.79 percent from other sources.