The House of Representatives is set to start today the deliberations on the P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has proposed to Congress.
First to face Congress are four members of the President’s economic team comprising the Development Budget Coordination Committee.
They are expected to be welcomed at the plenary by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rizaldy Co, appropriations committee chairman.
The four are Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, National Economic and Development Authority Director General Arsenio Balisacan and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Eli Remolona Jr.
The four will brief House members on the state of the country’s economy and the macro-economic assumptions used in putting together the proposed 2024 spending program.
Romualdez said he and his colleagues would like to know from the administration’s economic managers “how the country could sustain its economic growth and how such growth could benefit our people.”
Many of the poor complain that the economic boom is benefitting only the rich, the big companies, and stock and financial market investors, he noted. He said he would like to see increased allocations for these services and pro-poor programs.
On Tuesday, officials of the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office will brief the committee on appropriations on their operations. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will be on deck on Wednesday.
It will be the turn of the Department of Energy, Commission on Higher Education and Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday. The appropriations committee will conduct hearings up to Sept. 9.
Romualdez also committed to allocate funds for the building or improvement of soldiers’ barracks while commending them for their bravery in defending the nation.
He made the commitment during his recent talk to the troops at the headquarters of the 11th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army at Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Busbus Village, Jolo, Sulu, led by Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio.
Patrimonio welcomed Romualdez to the camp, where the latter was given arrival honors.
The Speaker was accompanied by several lawmakers, including Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose Aquino ll and Navotas City Rep. Tobias Tiangco as well as Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan and ex-Sulu representative Munir Arbison.
He lauded the officers and soldiers for defending the country’s democracy and sovereignty from internal and external threats.
“We have to look after the welfare of our soldiers—our officers and men. We have to provide them with comfortable housing quarters,” he said.
Romualdez is a lawyer from University of the Philippines and president of the Philippine Constitution Association.
“They are the most important component of our national defense program. They are in charge of protecting the country from threats—internal or external—to promote and maintain peace,”SpeakerRomualdez said who earlier committed strong support for better budgetary needs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the House of Representatives is scheduled to deliberate the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 National Expenditures Program this Monday,” he cited.
He believes without peace, there would be no economic development.
“That is very evident in many parts of Mindanao, including Sulu, which have had to live with and resolve internal strife, and where economic progress is now happening,” he noted.
He vowed to look into the need for building more barracks where they are needed, and for improving existing housing facilities.
The funds could be included in the proposed 2025 national budget, he said.
The Speaker is an honorary member of Sambisig class of 1991 of the Philippine Military Academy.
