MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman sought an increase in its 2025 budget.
On Tuesday, the office met with the House Committee on Appropriations which is meeting with government offices to craft the 2025 national budget bill.
Based on the presentation shown during the meeting, P257,846,000 of the additional amount sought was for the creation of 60 lawyer positions; P400 million was for setting up satellite offices; and P18 million was for the hiring of workers for the office’s project on digitalization. These totaled P675,846,000.
The office had proposed some P8 billion for 2025.
But, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said, “we’re only given by DBM (Department of Budget and Management) about P5.8 [billion].
Martires said that the office has a satellite office in Jolo, Capiz, and Pasay City and intends to open satellite offices in other places in the country.
The 1987 Constitution mandates the president to submit to the Congress within 30 days “from the opening of every regular session, as the basis of the general appropriations bill, a budget of expenditures and sources of financing, including receipts from existing and proposed revenue measures.”
Under the Constitution, all appropriation bills shall originate exclusively from the House of Representatives but the Senate is allowed to propose or concur with amendments.
On July 22, 2024, the current House opened its third regular session.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, submitted the National Expenditure Program for 2025 to the House last July 29.
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