MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will sign the P6.4-trillion 2025 national budget two days before the end of 2024, the Presidential Communications Office confirmed on Tuesday, December 24.
“Signing [of the national budget is] on 30 December 2024, after the Rizal Day events,” Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez told reporters.
In his two years in office, this would be Marcos’ most delayed signing of the national budget. Marcos approved the national budget for 2023 on December 16, 2022, while for 2024, he signed it on December 20, 2023.
There’s a deadline for the government to propose and pass the national budget, also known as the General Appropriations Act, each year. Paragraph 7, section 25 of article VI of the 1987 Constitution states that if the legislative department failed to pass the general appropriations bill intended for the following year, the existing appropriations law would be reenacted and remain in effect until a new budget bill is passed by Congress.
Budget deliberations always face controversy. But the national budget approved by both chambers for next year has drawn much criticism for its cuts in allocations for needed services and continued allotment for items deemed as pork barrel.
Marcos was supposed to sign it on December 20, but backed down, saying he needed “more time for a rigorous and exhaustive review.”
Among the affected sectors is the Department of Education (DepEd), which, based on what was submitted to the President, would suffer over P10-billion budget cut for its computerization program in 2025. Marcos gave assurances that his administration was working to restore what was asked for.
The state-run PhilHealth will receive zero subsidy, per the budget submitted to Marcos; it’s not clear if Marcos would tweak this. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa explained that the state insurer will still be able to provide benefits to all of its members, but several groups, including labor and medical, slammed the decision.
According to budget watchers, the zero subsidy for PhilHealth will violate the sin tax law, which earmarks 80% of the 50% of excise tax collections from tobacco and sweetened beverages to PhilHealth for the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act.
Amid her turbulent relationship with the ruling administration, Vice President Sara Duterte’s office will also suffer a major budget cut. The bicameral conference committee — composed by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate — ruled not to reinstate Duterte’s slashed P1.3-billion budget for 2025. – Rappler.com
