THE House of Representatives is set to approve the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget on third and final reading on Wednesday (September 25) after two weeks of plenary debates.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Sunday said the House is adhering to its plenary deliberation-approval timeline “because we are treating the national spending program with urgency without sacrificing transparency.”
The leader of the 300-plus-strong House said the approval of the outlay before Congress goes on recess next weekend would give the Senate enough time for its own debate-passage process.
“We have sufficient time to finally agree on the budget before yearend. It is the most important piece of legislation Congress passes every year,” he said.
“Next year’s spending legislation will serve as our tool for sustained economic development. It will support the Agenda for Prosperity programs of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.,” he said.
Speaker Romualdez stressed the budget would also “serve as an instrument for the government to spread the dividends of economic progress through various social protection and financial assistance initiatives, and funding for infrastructures like roads, hospitals, classrooms, seaports and airports, irrigation systems, and transportation networks.”
“We hope our people will feel the benefits of growth through the programs intended for them in the national budget,” he added.
The House leader earlier thanked the committee on appropriations led by its chairman, Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, and senior vice chairperson Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo for sheperding the 2025 spending bill on time.
House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said President Marcos is expected to certify the proposed 2025 as urgent.
Dalipe said the certification will enable the House of Representatives to approve the 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on both second and final reading on the same day.
During its first week of budget deliberations, House has already approved proposed funding for several departments and their attached agencies, including the Department of Finance, Department of Justice, National Economic and Development Authority, the judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, Development of Labor and Employment;
Commission on Elections, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of National Defense, Department of Migrant Workers, Presidential Communications Office, Department of Science and Technology, Metro Manila Development Authority, state colleges and universities, and government corporations.
Scheduled to be tackled this Monday up to Wednesday are the Office of the President, Office of the Vice President. Department of Agriculture, National Irrigation Administration, Department of Health, Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission;
Civil Service Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Commission on Audit, Department of Transportation, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Congress, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Education, and several executive offices.
Before approving the budget on Wednesday, the House will hear Turno En Contra remarks by those opposed to the outlay, followed by the period of amendments.
Due to expected numerous amendment suggestions, the House, as in previous years, is expected to create a small committee to take charge of the proposals.
Speaker Romualdez is expected to address his colleagues before the first recess of the third and last regular session of the 19th Congress starts next weekend.
The House has been conducting marathon sessions every day since last Monday, starting at 10 in the morning until the agenda for the day consisting of several agencies was finished.
It extended its proceedings to Thursday and Friday last week to meet its plenary debate-approval deadline.
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