Marcos delays signing of 2025 budget to address issues

Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. postpones enacting the 2025 national budget as he personally reviews the widely-criticized General Appropriations Bill passed by Congress, Malacañang said Wednesday, Dec. 18.

“The scheduled signing of the General Appropriations Act on December 20 will not push through to allow more time for a rigorous and exhaustive review of a measure that will determine the course of the nation for the next year,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a statement.

“The ongoing assessment is being led by the President himself, in consultation with the heads of major departments,” he added.

Bersamin said Malacañang has not yet set a new schedule for the signing of the 2025 budget. However, he confirmed that the President will veto certain provisions in the proposed budget “in the interest of public welfare, to conform with the fiscal program, and in compliance with laws.

The Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the proposed ₱6.532 trillion national budget on December 11, following the reconciliation of their versions through the bicameral conference committee. Lawmakers confirmed their decision to uphold the ₱1.3 billion budget cut to the Office of the Vice President, leaving it with only ₱733 million despite appeals from some colleagues. Additionally, the Senate agreed to allocate ₱26 billion for the House-initiated Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) to support minimum wage earners, a reduction from the originally proposed ₱39 billion.

However, more controversies have emerged over the budget, including the absence of any government subsidy for state health insurer PhilHealth - a decision some lawmakers argue is a violation of the law.

The Department of Education also protested the ₱12 billion reduction to its budget, now set at ₱737 billion. Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways received over ₱1.1 trillion, sparking concerns about a potential violation of the constitutional mandate to prioritize the education sector in government spending.

Marcos earlier pledged to restore the ₱10-billion cut from the Department of Education’s computerization program.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero expressed support for the President’s decision to review the budget and veto certain line items.

“It’s part of the legislative process and the system of checks and balances in our Constitution. The Executive is well within its rights and prerogatives to review, study and make line item vetoes - as is usually done every year with the General Appropriations Bill - especially given its length, complexity and detail,” he said in a text message shared with reporters.

Senate Finance Committee Chairperson Grace Poe described the move as a “sign of a healthy democracy.”

“We have to support the checks and balances of our budgetary process. The President has the authority to assess the budget and approve or veto the proposed GAA. I believe his economic managers are giving the president the best advice possible given the situation,” she added.