MANILA—Malacañang assured that the government will meet its target for the passage of the 2026 national budget despite recent changes in the administration’s economic team.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the appointments of new heads for the Department of Finance (DOF) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will not affect the budget process.

The Palace announced earlier that Finance Secretary Ralph Recto would replace Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, while Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go would take over Recto’s post.

At the DBM, Undersecretary Rolando U. Toledo was designated officer-in-charge following the resignation of Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

“We were able to talk to Secretary Go and according to him, (on the) reassignments of the Cabinet members to DOF and DBM, they are all the same people who worked on the budget, who worked on the finances. So there will be no problem with that,” Castro said.

“Yes, there will be (the timely passage of the national budget). They are working on that,” she added.

The House of Representatives approved the proposed P6.793 trillion 2026 national budget on October 13. The Senate is currently holding last-stage plenary debates on the spending plan.

Once both chambers finalize their versions, the Senate and House will convene a bicameral conference committee to reconcile the measure before submitting the final version to Malacañang.

On Monday, the Palace announced that President Marcos had accepted the resignations of Bersamin and Pangandaman, who stepped down to give way to the ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects.

The President also accepted the resignation of Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin.

In accepting their resignations, President Marcos expressed his gratitude to Bersamin and Pangandaman for their “exemplary leadership” and “invaluable contributions” to their offices.