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

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

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 No…