Manila: The Office of the President (OP) will continue to perform its core functions despite a proposed 64-percent cut in its 2027 budget, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said Sunday. The OP is seeking PHP10.15 billion for next year, down from the PHP28.03 billion appropriated for 2026.

According to Philippines News Agency, Recto stated that the lower funding reflects the streamlining of the OP's 49 delivery units and the completion of activities related to the Philippines' hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit this year. "We are asking for less while remaining fully prepared to do more," Recto mentioned in a news release.

The proposed budget is equivalent to only one-seventh of 1 percent of the proposed PHP7.2 trillion national budget, yet it is deemed sufficient to support the President's day-to-day functions, including Cabinet meetings, policy consultations, presidential engagements, and inter-agency coordination. The funding will also support government responses to emergencies, delivery of assistance to vulnerable sectors, monitoring of economic plans, and protection of national interests, Recto emphasized.

The proposed budget allocates PHP7.46 billion or 74 percent for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses; PHP1.86 billion or 18 percent for Personnel Services; and PHP839 million or 8 percent for Capital Outlay. Recto noted that the reduced budget does not imply a reduction in the demands placed on the OP. "Every day, the President's schedule is full because the demands of governing do not pause. But activity alone is not our measure of performance," he added.

Instead, the OP aims to ensure that policies, meetings, official engagements, and missions result in concrete benefits, including jobs and investments, stronger national security, and improved public services. The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations endorsed the PHP10.15-billion proposal on Sept. 1 after lawmakers voted to terminate deliberations through 'institutional and inter-branch courtesy.' Recto asserted that the proposed budget was prepared in accordance with the Department of Budget and Management's rules and processes. "We sought no special treatment," he concluded.