House targets to pass 2025 budget by Sept. 25

By Filane Mikee Cervantes, Philippine News Agency

House Appropriations Committee senior vice chair and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) is scheduled for plenary debates beginning Sept.16. (File Photo: House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The House of Representatives is targeting the approval of the proposed PHP6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 on the third and final reading by Sept. 25, a House leader said on Thursday.

House Appropriations Committee senior vice chair and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) is scheduled for plenary debates beginning Sept.16.

She said the plenary debates would run from Sept. 16 to Sept. 25.

“Hopefully po kung masusunod po namin ang schedule, hopefully… ay matatapos namin pong mauprubahan on third reading ang General Appropriations Bill by Sept. 25 (Hopefully, if we can adhere to the schedule, hopefully… we will be able to approve the General Appropriations Bill on third reading by Sept 25),” Quimbo said during a press conference.

In most cases, the budget bill is usually certified as urgent by the President, allowing Congress to expedite the legislative process by approving it on the second and third reading on the same day.

The schedule of floor deliberations will start with the Department of Finance, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Budget and Management, lump sum funds, the judiciary, and the Department of Justice on Sept. 16.

On Sept. 17, the chamber will tackle the budgets of the Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, and Department of Labor and Employment.

The Sept. 18 debates will focus on the budgets of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Commission on Elections, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Trade and Industry, Commission on Higher Education, Games and Amusement Board, Philippine Space Agency, Philippine Sports Commission, Anti-Money Laundering Council, and state universities and colleges.

The budgets of the Department of National Defense, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as the budgetary support to various government corporations will be deliberated on Sept. 19.

On Sept. 20, the chamber will discuss the budgets of the Presidential Communications Office, Department of Information and Communications Technology, several executive offices, budgetary support to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and allocation to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Sept. 23 will be scheduled for the budgets of the Office of the Vice President, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, and other executive offices such as the Dangerous Drugs Board, National Security Council, Mindanao Development Authority, and the Marawi Compensation Board, among others.

The budgets of the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Commission of Senior Citizens, and Department of Transportation will be tackled on Sept. 24.

The last day on Sept. 25 will be allotted for the budget deliberations of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Office of the President, and Congress of the Philippines.