President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. certified as urgent the passage of the 2025 General Appropriations Act anew to avoid a reenacted budget with a month to go before Congress goes on Christmas break on December 20.
Mr. Marcos, in a letter addressed to Senate President Francis Escudero dated Oct. 29, said the certification was meant “to ensure the uninterrupted operation of critical government functions, guarantee the allocation of fiscal resources for vital initiatives, and enable the government to adeptly respond to emerging challenges.”
The President earlier sent a similar certification to House Speaker Martin Romualdez a day before the Lower Chamber approved the P6.352 trillion measure on third and final reading on September 25.
Next year’s proposed budget is 9.5 percent higher than this year’s P5.268 trillion GAA.
A measure certified as urgent by the President authorizes Congress to approve a bill on second and third reading on the same day.
Senate President Francis Escudero earlier this month said there will be no committee hearings while senators debate the proposed national budget for next year.
He said they will also start holding Monday to Thursday plenary sessions, instead of the normal Mondays to Wednesdays, to focus on the budget measure.
Senators are eyeing to approve its version of the 2025 national budget by the first week of December.
This would allow the bicameral committee to reconcile differences in the Senate and House versions by the second week of December, and transmit the final and ratified version to the President before Congress goes on holiday break.
“We hope to ratify the (bicameral) report before our Dec. 20 Christmas break. There is enough time to approve the final version of the budget,” House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe said in an earlier statement.
“As in the past, the spending program for the coming year will be in place before the current fiscal year is over to ensure continuity of spending and seamless implementation of activities and programs,” Dalipe added.
