Marcos’ Christmas wish: ‘Good’ 2026 budget, more time with family

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

President Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr. (PCO photo)

MANILA – “A good 2026 national budget and more time with family.” These are President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s personal wishes as Christmas approaches.

“I don’t know how specific you want to get, but for Christmas, [my wish is] that the legislature will provide us a good budget,” Marcos said in the sixth episode of his podcast aired Thursday.

Marcos will not certify the proposed 2026 national budget since Congress is expected to pass the spending plan on time, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Congress is scheduled to submit the enrolled copy of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill to Marcos before Christmas.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday said the bicameral conference committee will convene from Dec. 12 to 14, adding that the Senate and the House of Representatives are ready to work through the weekend to complete deliberations on schedule.

The proposed PHP6.793 trillion national budget aims to gradually reduce the deficit and debt, create more jobs, and bring down poverty to single digits by the end of Marcos’ term.

Meantime, Marcos hoped that he would be able to spend more time with his family, acknowledging that it had become difficult to achieve, given the demands of the presidency.

“That will make for a very nice Christmas. Intangible, more time with my family,” he said.

“You know, in this job you cannot hang, you cannot chill. There’s no… Wala na ‘yun (That’s gone).” Marcos added, admitting that he misses his simple life before he became president.

Marcos, nevertheless, said serving as the country’s top leader is a great privilege.

“I’m not saying I’m not happy to be here. I’m happy to be here because you’re given again the privilege to help, to do something, to help people’s lives. That’s the biggest privilege that anyone can give you. If you’re in public service, that’s the most… That’s a golden,” he said.