2025 national budget signed; Marcos vetoes P194 billion in non-priority items

In what can be a move that was somehow expected, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vetoed over P194 billion from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2025, emphasizing that he wanted a budget to sustain economic growth and improve the lives of future generations.

“We must exercise maximum prudence, or we risk increasing our deficit and debt, which could derail our development agenda,” Marcos said.

Before the GAA 2025 was signed, there were criticisms it contained allocations worth billions for infrastructure projects that were not considered a priority, while education got a lower budget and not the highest as stipulated in the 1987 Constitution.

It was also criticized by some experts after it left the Bicameral committee as the most corrupt in the country’s history.

In his speech, the President said he directly vetoed provisions not responsive to the peoples’ needs. Condition implementation on certain items was also pursued to ensure public funds are utilized according to authorized purposes, he added.

President Marcos emphasized the signed budget as the reflection of his government’s collective commitment to transform economic gains into long-term growth and the goal of uplifting the lives of Filipinos.

He said “this budget reflects our collective commitment to transforming economic gains into meaningful outcomes for every Filipino. It is designed not just to address our present needs, but to sustain growth and uplift the lives of generations that are yet to come,” he added.

The Chief Executive underscored the enactment of GAA for Fiscal Year 2025 signifies responsibility of wise, transparent, and purposive spending.

“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,” he said.

PCO PHOTO