PBBM: Proposed 2025 budget still under review, signing before New Year

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

FILE: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. meets Executive Secretary Bersamin, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan to review the proposed 2025 national budget on Wednesday (Dec. 18, 2024). (PCO Photo)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday said he needs more time reviewing the proposed PHP6.352-trillion 2025 national budget, as he lamented that there is a lot of changes made in the spending plan.

In an interview on the sidelines of an event at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, Marcos said it would “take long” to review the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) because he wants to be “very sure” that the budget for next year would be directed to “important” and “priority” projects.

“Well, we had to have a look because maraming nagbago (many have changed) from the budget requests of the different departments and we have to put it back in the same shape that we had first requested,” Marcos said.

“Now, it’s up to us on how we regain control of the spending program. I cannot give you the details yet because that that’s what we are doing. We are going through item by item, line by line to see what is priority and what is not. And that’s what we’ll come up with,” he added.

Marcos on Wednesday met with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan to review the proposed 2025 national budget.

Upon reviewing the budget bill, Marcos said he and his Cabinet had discovered that some project proposals for next year were problematic.

Marcos said he has no choice but to veto some of the items since the ratified 2025 GAB could no longer be returned to Congress.

“So, unfortunately, I am only left now with the veto power… It’s up to us now to look at the items and to see what are appropriate, what are relevant and what are the priorities,” he said.

“We are starting to see some project proposals that will not have the appropriate… [There is] walang (no) program of work, walang (no) appropriate documentation. Hindi maliwanag kung saan pupunta ang pera. Kaya ‘yun ang liliwanagin natin (It’s not clear where the money will be spent. That’s what we are going to clarify).”

Marcos remained optimistic that the budget bill would be enacted into law before yearend.

Continued benefits 

Meantime, Marcos assured the public that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) would continue providing health benefits to its members, even after the bicameral conference committee allocated zero funding for the state insurer’s subsidies in the 2025 GAB.

The decision was based on PhilHealth’s ample reserves and investible funds that are deemed sufficient to cover its obligations without additional government support.

“Huwag po kayong mag-aalala, walang mawawala sa serbisyo ng PhilHealth. Mas pinapaganda pa nga namin ang pagpatakbo ng PhilHealth para mas marami pang maibibigay sa taumbayan (Don’t worry, nothing will be lost in PhilHealth services. We are even improving the operation of PhilHealth so that it can provide more to the people),” Marcos said.

“In fact, baligtad, padadamihin pa namin ang serbisyong ibibigay ng PhilHealth, pararamihin, palalakihin pa namin ang pagbayad sa (on the contrary, we will increase the services provided by PhilHealth, we will increase the payment of) insurance claims. So, I would like to just assure everybody, huwag niyong inaalala na mababawasan ang serbisyo kahit na kanino (don’t worry that the services might get reduced for anyone),” he added.