Office of the President seeks 72% budget increase in 2026 as Manila hosts ASEAN

Of the proposed P17.5 billion for the Philippines' ASEAN hosting in 2026, P10.7 billion will be released directly to Marcos' office

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the President (OP) is asking Congress for a budget of P27.28 billion for 2026, representing a 72% increase from the current year’s P15.8 billion.

The bulk of the amount — some P17.5 billion — will be spent on the hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in the Philippines. 

The country, as ASEAN chair, will play host to hundreds of meets from the end of December 2025 until around November 2026, when the chairmanship ceases. 

All members of ASEAN take turns hosting the two yearly summits and all of the bloc’s meetings, although the Philippines’ turn is taking place a year ahead after it agreed to take the place of junta-ruled Myanmar. 

Of the P17.5 billion, P10.7 billion is meant to be released directly to the OP.

According to the special provision lodged under the OP’s proposed 2026 budget, the rest will be disbursed directly to various departments and agencies with roles to play in the mounting of ASEAN. For 2025, the OP was allocated P5.4 billion for ASEAN preparations.

There are several major events related to ASEAN throughout the year, with the biggest being the two summits that will bring together ASEAN heads of state mid-year, then include dialogue partners later in 2026. 

Just like in 2025, the OP is asking for P4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds. Marcos’ office is asking for P1.01 billion for the President’s local and foreign trips, down slightly from the P1.2 billion his office got in 2025. 

In the Philippines, the OP’s proposed budget traditionally goes unquestioned at the committee level of both chambers, citing parliamentary courtesy

Source: Rappier