Senate President Francis Escudero said the upper chamber will start on August 13 the inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) deliberations on next year’s proposed P6.35-trillion budget.
The Senate is also committed to pass the 2025 budget before Congress goes on break ahead of Christmas, Escudero said. This will include the bicameral conference committee report to be signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Escudero added that the national budget is an “election budget” since the midterm elections will be held on May 12. He warned that no government fund should be used for election purposes.
He noted that the 10% increase is justified due to the current economic inflation. Escudero also vowed to scrutinize the proposed budget.
Earlier, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) transmitted to Congress the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for 2025, marking the start of the legislative process for the upcoming fiscal year.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman expressed optimism the budget will contribute to achieving a single-digit poverty rate and transforming the Philippines into an upper-middle-income economy.
“Together, let us fulfill the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people to achieve a Bagong Pilipinas for our citizens and the future generations” she said.
Pangandaman said confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) in the proposed 2025 national budget fell significantly compared to its allocation in the 2024 General Appropriations Act.
She said the agency approved a total proposal of P10.29 billion budget for CIFs, P4.37 billion of which are for Confidential Expenses and P5.92 billion for Intelligence Expenses.
In the 2024 budget, the CIF was given an allocation of around P12.38 billion.
“The allocation for confidential and intelligence funds in the 2025 NEP decreased by 16 percent,” she said.
She said the Department of Interior and Local Government will get CIF amounting to P908 million; Department of Justice and its attached agencies, P579 million; Department of National Defense, P1.8 billion; and Philippine Coast Guard, P400 million.
For his part, Speaker Martin Romualdez said Congress would diligently oversee the spending of the funds so that every peso would be returned to the public through beneficial programs and projects.
“As we receive this budget document today, we recognize the collective responsibility bestowed upon us as legislators to scrutinize, deliberate, and ensure that every peso is judiciously allocated and spent. We will make certain that every Peso of tax money will return to the people in terms of programs and projects,” he said.
Romualdez said job creation, quality education, expanded health care and social protection are among the priorities of the House in allocating funds in the proposed 2025 national budget.
“Through this 2025 national budget, we expect that we will pour funds to create more jobs, ensure quality education for students, and expand support for Universal Health Care,” the Speaker said.
The DBM said education is the top priority of the Marcos administration with an allocation of P977.6 billion, followed by Public Works with a substantial allocation of P900 billion and Health with P297.6 billion.
To uphold national security, modernize defense capabilities, and ensure the safety and sovereignty of the nation, P256.1 billion was designated for the Defense sector while Social Welfare was allocated P230.1 billion.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Senate to begin 2025 budget deliberations on August 13
