Camille Naredo

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signs the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang on Monday, January 5, 2026. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signs the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang on Monday, January 5, 2026. The national budget, enacted as Republic Act No. 12314, amounts to Php6.793 trillion. 

In his speech, President Marcos vowed to ensure that every peso of the Php6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 would directly benefit the Filipino people.
Marcos emphasized that all programs and projects will undergo strict scrutiny to deliver concrete results, especially for the most vulnerable sectors. He said the 2026 budget reflects the government’s commitment to more prudent, careful, and responsible public spending.
The President noted that the national budget is designed to sustain progress in education, health, food security, social protection, and job creation. He also called on the public to actively participate in safeguarding the budget, stressing that vigilance, transparency, and citizen involvement are vital to a functioning democracy.
Yummie Dingding / PPA POOL

Article (news)

MARCOS

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176994019058720260105-marcos-gaa-signing-PPA39.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signs the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang on Monday, January 5, 2026. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool" width="960"/>President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signs the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang on Monday, January 5, 2026. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool</div>MANILA -- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the need to revise the country’s outdated policies to make government services convenient and accessible to the public.In his latest vlog published Sunday, February 1, the president took note of other countries&#x27; best practices, saying that good policies are those that help improve people&#x27;s character and behavior, are easy to understand, enforce, and implement, and ease burdens instead of causing inconvenience. “Sa ibang bansa higit na mapapansin ang epekto ng polisiya sa kultura at pag-uugali ng tao. Una diyan siyempre ang polisiya sa pandisiplina,” he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/1/palace-on-marcos-jr-s-health-after-diverticulitis-diagnosis-wala-namang-problema-1504">Palace: Marcos Jr. on the mend, will focus on health instead of impeachment threat</a></div>Marcos Jr. went on by citing several policies abroad, such as the chewing gum ban and mandatory caning for scammers in Singapore and the forming of emergency corridors to allow emergency vehicles to pass through roads in Germany, which he said reminded him of the incident involving a police officer who obstructed a fire volunteer truck in Pasig City. He also mentioned the respect for pedestrians in Japan and the traditional midday break in Spain.The chief executive also took note of the four-day workweek policy in Belgium and the right to disconnect in France in a bid to increase productivity and prevent burnout among employees.“Hindi bagay sa Pilipinas ‘yan dahil masyadong masipag ang Pilipino. Kahit anong sabihin mo, sasagutin at sasagutin nila ‘yan,” Marcos Jr. quipped.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/31/cha-cha-not-part-of-discussions-for-now-palace-1432">Cha-cha not part of discussions for now, but Marcos will study if moves have already been made – Palace</a> </div>While the president hailed these approaches, he maintained that the country needs to prioritize revisiting its old policies that hinder ease of doing business.“Tanyag tayo sa polisiyang kailangan ng ID para mag-apply kumuha ng ID. Isang repleksyon ng napakalumang sistema. Mahilig din tayo sa mga pag-fill out ng duplicate o triplicate,” he said.Marcos Jr. cited the administration’s efforts to digitalize government services such as the Beep card railway discounts and free Wi-Fi in bus and train stations, among others. “Hindi tayo dapat pumipila ng madaling araw sa opisina ng gobyerno para lang kumuha ng isang dokumento. Kaya isa sa pinagtutuunan natin ay ang eGov app at digitalization ng government system. Maraming masosolusyonan na problema ito. Halimbawa sa LTO, wala nang confiscation ng physical ID, recognized na digital license,” he stated. “Dito sa ating bansa, marami pang polisiya ang kailangan natin baguhin at ribisahin. Nakikita natin sa balita at naririnig natin ang mga kababayan natin, ang kanilang mga reklamo,” he added. “Nakikita natin sa ating mga nakasanayang pamamaraan na pinaglumaan na ng panahon. Tila maliit na bagay pero laking perwisyo sa tao. Kailangan padaliin ang pamumuhay ng Pilipino. Dahil ang sistema ay kailangan nagdadala ng ginhawa sa tao, hindi sakit ng ulo,” Marcos Jr. pointed out. The president further noted the vital role of cooperation of Filipinos in making policies successful. “Kailangan din natin tandaan na matagumpay ang mga polisiya sa ibang bansa dahil sa kooperasyon ng ating mga mamamayan. Na bagamat hindi popular sa simula ang isang polisiya, kapag binigyan ng pagkakataon maimplementa nang tama, maganda naman ang resulta,” he said. “At siyempre, tandaan natin na sa kabila ng polisiyang inilalatag natin, ito dapat ang nagtutulak sa atin na maging mas mabuting Pilipino,” the president added.Marcos Jr. encouraged the public to give suggestions of policies that would help solve the country’s pressing problems.“Ang mga polisiya ay kultura na isinusulat bilang batas. Ipaalam ninyo sa amin sa comment section kung may mga mungkahi kayong polisiya na makakatulong solusyonan ang marami nating problema. Aabangan namin ang mga suggestion ninyo,” he said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the need to revise the country’s outdated policies to make government services convenient and accessible to the public.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the need to revise the country’s outdated policies to make government services convenient and accessible to the public.

Marcos Jr. wants review of outdated policies; encourages public to make suggestions

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Marcos Jr. wants review of outdated policies; encourages public to make suggestions

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 01, 2026 06:09 PM PHT

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Outdated policies

Malacanang Palace

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