MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed on Monday, Dec. 30, to use “every centavo” of the 2025 national budget to create more programs that will truly uplift lives, strengthen communities, and ensure the country’s future growth.
“With the passing of the Fiscal Year 2025 General Appropriations Act, the responsibility of ensuring that every centavo is spent wisely, transparently, and purposely begins,” President Marcos said in his speech during the ceremonial signing of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the Fiscal Year 2025 in Malacañan Palace.
Cognizant that our resources are finite and our people’s needs are plenty, we need to carefully curate the particulars of the budget,” the President added.
According to the President, they will be pursuing the Conditional Implementation on certain items to make sure the funds that will be used are authorized and with specific purpose.
In the exercise of budget execution function and duty to ensure prudent fiscal management, particularly in the increases in appropriations and new budgetary items, the President said they will be requiring cash programming, adherence to budget rules, and approvals of concerned offices.
“This way we guarantee that these programs and projects are implementable and will redound to the benefit of our people,” the President said.
“Sa Sambayanang Pilipino, nakikinig po kami sa inyo. Salamat po sa inyong pagkilatis sa ating National Budget at sa pagpuna sa kaibahan ng isinumite ng Kongreso sa President’s proposed budget,” he added.
The President also assured that this year’s budget will support the government to enhance and expand more of their services aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.
“Titiyakin namin na mananatiling prayoridad ang Social Services, kasama na rin diyan ang Edukasyon, ayon sa mandato ng ating Saligang Batas, pati na rin ang Kalusugan,” the President said.
“Sisikapin din po natin na ipagpatuloy at ipagpapatupad ang ating Economic Services, kasama ang imprastraktura at agrikultura, upang mapalakas pa ang ating ekonomiya at malabanan ang kahirapan na dulot ng pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin at kalamidad” he added.
He said that through this budget, the government will also prioritize green investments, and disaster preparedness, as well as drive innovation and enhance trade, and investment to create more quality jobs and increase productivity.
The budget, initially amounting to P6.352 trillion, was reduced to P6.326 trillion following the veto of P194 billion worth of line items deemed “inconsistent with the administration’s priority programs.”
Of the vetoed P194-billion, President Marcos directly vetoed P26.065 billion worth of projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and P168.240 billion allocated under “Unprogrammed Appropriations.”
President Marcos pursued Conditional Implementation on specific items to ensure funds are utilized effectively, emphasizing that the government must not be merely a provisional solution, but address long-term issues. (PND)
