Marcos doing thorough review—Palace
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assured the public of a constitutional 2025 budget as he goes through it with a fine-tooth comb before signing it on Monday, the Palace said.
The Palace issued the statement amid calls to remove allegedly unconstitutional items from the ratified budget bill.
Over a dozen retired military, police and coast guard officials also issued an open letter asking the President to scrutinize controversial items in the proposed budget, including a P15 billion reduction from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program’s planned P50 billion budget for 2025.
“The President and the Cabinet are right now, with or without the calls, thoroughly reviewing the various items of the GAA to make them conform to the Constitution and to see to it that the budget prioritizes the main legacy thrusts of the administration,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., for his part, said the military does not meddle in the budget process.
“We want to continue to be professional. The President said that he is going to go over the budget,” Brawner said.
Bersamin underscored the President’s prudence in managing the country’s limited fiscal resources.
The President pushed back the signing of the budget bill into law to December 30 to allow for a comprehensive review, noting that some projects included in the ratified measure lack proper documentation or clear objectives.
He said he will exercise his veto powers to ensure all items are constitutional.
Bersamin reiterated the administration’s commitment to its legacy programs, which include infrastructure development, food security, education, and public health.
He assured the public these priorities would guide the allocation of funds in the final budget.
Earlier, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed hope that all concerns on the 2025 budget will be addressed before the President signs it into law next year.
Among the issues he raised were the budget cut of the Department of Education as well as the zero subsidy for PhilHealth.
“I’m hoping that they address the concerns of the education sector, especially the funding of the computerization of DepEd and the possible unconstitutionality of the education sector no longer being the priority of the budget allocation as well as the zero funding for PhilHealth,” Zubiri said.
“That would help stave off possible legal action in the Supreme Court that might render a decision declaring the budget unconstitutional and therefore delay its implementation and effectivity,” he added.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Malacañang tightens scrutiny of 2025 national budget to ensure constitutionality.”