President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. voiced strong support for his Cabinet on Sunday, acknowledging their frustrations over mounting criticism from Congress regarding the proposed 2026 national budget.

Speaking at Villamor Air Base before departing for a state visit to Cambodia, Marcos urged calm among officials while empathizing with their sentiments. “I hope lumamig na ‘yung mga ulo ninyo (I hope you’ve cooled down),” he said. “But I perfectly understand why you are feeling a little unjustly beleaguered.”

The budget row stems from congressional scrutiny of the National Expenditure Program (NEP), particularly issues linked to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which faces allegations of irregularities in multibillion-peso flood control projects.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin later addressed reporters, clarifying that the Palace is not “angry” with Congress but finds the proposal to return the NEP to the Department of Budget and Management “unprecedented and not in the constitutional order.”

Bersamin dismissed concerns over a reenacted budget, calling it “counterproductive,” and emphasized President Marcos’s commitment to economic progress. “We always want the country to move forward, not to go back or slow down,” he said.

Budget deliberations for the Office of the President are set to begin Monday, with Bersamin assuring lawmakers of the administration’s full cooperation. (PNA)