SAIPAN — Governor David M. Apatang has formally notified legislative leaders that his administration has executed a $29 million pension loan with the Marianas Public Land Trust, clearing the way for his FY 2026 revised budget plan and warning of potential disruption to government health insurance if lawmakers delay action.
In a Dec. 9 letter to Senate President Karl King-Nabors and House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, Apatang said the loan proceeds will go directly to the NMI Settlement Fund to meet the Commonwealth’s minimum annual pension payment, with remaining funds already programmed for “critical obligations” in his Revised Budget Scenario 1 submitted in October.
Apatang urged “immediate action” on the revised budget, saying failure to renew the Group Health & Life Insurance Program by Dec. 31 could trigger a healthcare crisis for active employees, retirees, autonomous agencies, and their dependents. He cautioned that a piecemeal approach by the Legislature would underfund the program and could force termination of the current plan or require renegotiation at higher premiums. The governor requested an emergency session on the budget no later than Dec. 15, arguing that further delays would limit his administration’s ability to manage the late open enrollment period and maintain continuous coverage. The letter included the executed loan agreement and promissory note with MPLT as enclosures.
