Manila, Jan. 5 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has slashed the Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) in the 2026 national budget to its lowest level since 2019 after vetoing nearly PHP92.5 billion worth of proposed items to reinforce fiscal discipline, transparency and accountability.

In his veto message to Congress accompanying the signing of the PHP6.793-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2026 on Monday, Marcos said the UA was reduced to the "bare minimum," stressing that standby funds must only be tapped when "absolutely necessary and strictly in accordance with conditions set in this Act."

"I acknowledge the support of the Congress in limiting the coverage of the Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA), heeding the public's call for t...