Executive Sec. Ralph Recto Speaks on OP’s Budget Proposal
RALPH RECTO – The Executive Secretary defended the request of the Office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for confidential funds in 2027.
Currently, the Office of the President is one of the government offices that have already finished their budget proposal for next year. Marcos Jr.’s office is requesting for a P10.1 billion budget for 2027.
Included in the proposed budget of the Office of the President is the confidential and intelligence funds. Marcos Jr.’s office is seeking for a P4.55 billion in confidential and intel funds for next year.
The budget requested by the Office of the President earned different reactions from the people. Its proposed confidential funds also gathered criticisms from some Filipinos.
Amid the criticisms, Executive Sec. Ralph Recto defended the request of the office of Pres. Bongbong Marcos for confidential and intelligence funds in 2027. Based on ANC, the Executive Secretary made his remarks to the press.
According to E.S. Ralph Recto, it is the prerogative of Pres. Bongbong Marcos as the country’s commander-in-chief as well as the head of the state to ask for confidential and intelligence funds.
“The President is the Chief Executive officer. The President is the head of state so he’s for a job to ensure law and order at diyan ‘yung ginagastos ang confidential fund. With regard to the intelligence fund, he is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. ‘Yan naman napakahalaga for our national security,” Recto said.
The confidential and intelligence funds requested by Marcos Jr.’s Office for 2027 bears an unchanged amount from 2026. Based on the post, the P4.55 billion fund request is consists of the P2.25 billion in confidential funds and the P2.3 billion in intel funds.
In the 2026 national budget, Pres. Bongbong Marcos had rejected several budget allocations such as the following:
- Budgetary Support for Government Owned and Controlled Corporations: P6.895 billion
- Prior Years’ Local Government Unit Shares: P14.623 million
- Insurance of Government Assets and Interests: P2 billion
- Payment of Personnel Services Requirements: P43.245 billion
- CARS Program (Automotive Industry Support): P4.32 billion
- RACE Program (Automotive Industry Competitiveness): P250 million
- Government Counterpart for Certain Foreign-Assisted Projects: P35.77 billion
As per Malacañang, Marcos Jr. is confident that the 2026 is supposedly the “cleanest and most proper”.
