House plenary debates on P6.3 trillion budget begin

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Finance will be the first government agency that will undergo budget deliberations today when plenary debates start on the P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 at the House of Representatives.

This will be followed by the Department of Justice and its attached agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Immigration, then the National Economic and Development Authority, including its attached agencies, the judiciary and lump sums.

According to Speaker Martin Romualdez, the outlay or the General Appropriations Bill would support the Agenda for Prosperity and “Bagong Pilipinas” programs of President Marcos.

“It will be our instrument in directly helping the poor through various social protection, financial aid and medical programs, and in keeping food prices down, particularly the price of rice which has fallen to P42 a kilo,” he said.

Under its budget deliberation schedule, the House is devoting eight days for plenary debates, which start at 10 in the morning and will last until the agenda for the day is finished.

On deck tomorrow are the Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Human Rights, including Human Rights Violations’ Memorial Commission, and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, Department of Labor and Employment, and their attached agencies.

Wednesday will see the House tackling the budgets of the Commission on Elections, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Trade and Industry and several executive offices and state colleges and universities.

On Thursday, the House will tackle the budgets of the Department of National Defense, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and their attached agencies, and budgetary support to a number of government corporations.

On Friday, it will be the turn of the Presidential Communications Office, Department of Science and Technology, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and more executive offices and government corporations to defend their funding.

Between Sept. 23 and 25, the budgets of the remaining departments and agencies, and executive offices will be discussed including the departments of agriculture, health, energy, education, social welfare and development, and transportation, Civil Service Commission and Commission on Audit.

The recommended reduced funding for the controversial Office of the Vice President will also be tackled on Sept. 23.

It is scheduled to pass the proposed budget on third and final reading on Sept. 25, after tackling funding for the Department of Public Works and Highways, Office of the President and Congress. The turno en contra by the opposition and period of amendments are also scheduled for that day.

Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, senior vice chairperson of the House appropriations committee, will take turn in sponsoring the defending agency budgets.