President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered to ban politicians from distributing aid and financial assistance after signing the 2026 national budget, as a measure against patronage politics.
According to Marcos, genuine reform cannot be postponed any longer, especially after the corruption issues that rocked the government last year. He emphasized that government aid should directly reach beneficiaries without political influence.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto stated that the rules for the implementation of this provision are still being formulated, and politicians will not be allowed to attend aid distribution activities.
Some sectors remain concerned because there are programs like medical assistance that have previously been linked to politician's guarantee letters. However, Recto said that the executive will only follow what is stated in the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
This is the first time that there is such a clear provision in the country's budget, and its aim is to break the culture of relying on politicians in exchange for financial assistance.
