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.
“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.
