House approved FY 2025 P6.352 trillion

Certified as urgent by a sitting President, House Bill (HB)No. 10800 containing the proposed 2025 budget of P6.352 trillion was approved by 285 members and voted against by three lawmakers, Kabataan Partylist Representative Raoul Manuel, Gabriela Partylist Representative Arlene Brosas andACT TeachersPartylist Representative France Castro.

Brosas cited “lack of funding for essential projects aimed at helping the poor – “sa pagpapatayo ng pabahay sa kabila ng lumulobong housing backlogs at lumulobong budget para sa mga imprastruktura na hindi naman tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng mamamayan bagkus mas dumadagdag pa ito sa kasalukuyang problema ng mga apektadong residente."

 Brosas criticized “government’s failure to prioritize local agricultural production, pointing out the continued importation of goods that could be sourced domestically” and raised concerns about questionable flood control projects and budget cuts for state universities/colleges.”

“The national budget should cater to the needs of the people. The Filipino people need sufficient budget for health and basic social services, for agriculture, food production and to develop our own industries.”

 Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel raised three points for his negative vote:

1) no need to rush the approval of the budget."Hindi naman titigil ang paggana ng gobyerno, at hindi titigil ang mundo, kung hindi natin aaprubahan ngayong araw ang House version ng 2025 national budget. Hindi nagmamadali ang Senado sa pagpasa ng kanilang version. Bakit tayo nagmamadali?"

2) the allocated Ph733 million budget for the OVP should have been slashed to its bare minimum due to its “poor performance”, and,

3) need for more funding in education and SUCs, healthcare, disaster response and climate change efforts.

DBM (Department of Budget and Management) noted that the 2025 budget is anchored on the theme:“Agenda for Prosperity: Fulfilling the Needs and Aspirations of the Filipino People.”

More specifically, DBM explains that “the proposed budget aims to develop and protect the capabilities of individuals and families, transform production sectors to generate more quality jobs and produce competitive products, and foster an enabling environment encompassing institutions, physical and natural environment.”

 The P6.352 trillion 2025 Budget is higher than the 2024 budget which was P5.768 trillion.

 The 2025 budget breakdown by sector are as follows: Social Services 33.4% or P2.121 T, Economic Services, 29.2% or P1.853 T, General Public Services 17.1% or P1.083 T.

The budget for the following priority sectors is as follows:

1) Education (DepEd, SUCs, CHED, TESDA) with P977.6 B (up from 2024 P968.9 B),

2) Public works - P900.0 B ( down from 2024 P997.9 B),

3) Health (includes PhilHealth) P297.6 B (down from 2024 P308.3 B ),

4) Interior and Local Government (DILG) P278.4 B (up from 2024 P263.0 B),

5) Defense (DND) P256.1 B (up from 2024 P240.6 B),

6) Social Welfare (DSWD) P230.1 B (down from 2024 GAA: P248.1 B),

7) Agriculture (DA and attached corporations, DAR) P211.3 B (down from 2024 P221.7 B ),

8) Transportation (DOTr) P180.9 B (up from 2024 P73.9 B),

9) Judiciary P63.6 B (up from 2024 P60.2 B), and,

10) Justice (DOJ) P40.6 B (up from 2024 P38.2 B).

 About P876.7 B (13.8%) of the 2025 Budget has been allocated for debt burden.

House Speaker Ferdinand Romualdez stressed the need “for translating the country’s development goals and priorities to deliver tangible and beneficial changes to our constituents” and this reminder about Marcos Jr.'s call to improve the lives of ordinary Filipinos - “Aanhin natin ang magandang numero sa ekonomiya kung gutom pa rin ang mga Pilipino? Aanhin natin ang pag-unlad kung hindi naman ito pakikinabangan ng ordinaryong mamamayan?"

After the Senate approves, how much of this 2025 budget will genuinely, directly benefit our Filipino people?