Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto has pledged to ensure that every peso of the proposed P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 is spent wisely, vowing strict oversight to prevent waste and corruption.
Speaking at the Senate Finance Committee’s budget briefing on September 2, Recto emphasized the Department of Finance’s (DOF) responsibility in raising revenues to fund essential public services—from infrastructure to education and healthcare—underscoring the need to spend taxpayers’ money effectively.
“It is our duty to ensure no peso is wasted,” Recto said, stressing that good spending builds public trust and encourages tax compliance.
He also expressed strong support for President Marcos Jr.’s directive to closely scrutinize the NEP, citing recent reports of irregularities in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), particularly in flood control projects. The so-called “ghost projects” have allegedly cost the economy P42.3 billion to P118.5 billion from 2023 to 2025, equivalent to as many as 266,000 lost jobs.
Recto assured lawmakers that the 2026 budget is crafted to prioritize high-impact projects and social programs aligned with the country’s long-term development goals under Ambisyon 2040.
“No ghost projects. No corruption. No wasted peso,” Recto declared, urging senators to help ensure the budget “works as hard as the people who fund it—the taxpayers.”
