After a thorough review with the country’s economic managers, President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday signed into law the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2025.
The signing of the 2025 budget was held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace and attended by lawmakers and key government officials.
In his speech, Marcos said he directly vetoed over P194 billion worth of line items that are not consistent with his administration’s program priorities.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin earlier said certain items and provisions of the national budget bill would be vetoed by the President ”in the interest of public welfare, to conform with the fiscal program, and in compliance with laws.”
To recall, several lawmakers have apprehensions as regards some provisions of the 2025 General Appropriation Bill as its final version was only discussed by the chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Appropriations when the bicameral conference was convened.
Members of the Congress specifically raised concerns about the P26 billion funding for the controversial Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP, the reduction in the budget of the Department of Education (DepEd), and the zero subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
The budget cuts in the DepEd were made despite a provision under the 1987 Constitution indicating that the State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to the education sector.
On the part of the PhilHealth budget, Senate finance committee chairperson Grace Poe previously disclosed that it would receive zero subsidy under the proposed 2025 budget, saying the state insurer still has P600 billion reserve funds which they can use for their services.
Earlier, Marcos guaranteed that PhilHealth has sufficient funds to continue delivering health services despite the removal of its government subsidy under the proposed national budget.
Malacañang had ensured that Marcos was “thoroughly reviewing” the proposed 2025 General Appropriations Bill to make sure that it conforms to the Philippine Constitution. —KG, GMA Integrated News
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