Sen. Imee Marcos speaks during a public hearing of the Committee on Foreign Relations Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (File photo from BIBO NUEVA ESPAÑA / Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — In order for the 2025 budget bill to be aligned with the Philippine Constitution, Sen. Imee Marcos believes the executive branch needs to decide on slashing the funding for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) by at least P188 billion.

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Article 14 Section 5 of the Constitution states that the government must “assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.”

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But the 2025 General Appropriations Act approved by the bicameral conference committee that reached President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ table has an allocation of P1.1 trillion for the DPWH while the Department of Education will receive P737 billion.

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“Unless they have a different way of computing budgetary allocations for education, dapat tapyasan nila nang at least P188 billion ang public works para hindi ma-violate ang Constitution,” said the senator.

(Unless they have a different way of computing budgetary allocations for education, they should reduce at least P188 billion for public works so as not to violate the Constitution.)

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“So there may be at least P188 billion worth of rewards sa unprogrammed appropriations for the All Ye Faithful,” she added.

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(So there may be at least P188 billion worth of rewards on unprogrammed appropriations for the All Ye Faithful.)

The lady senator likewise explained that if his brother — Pres. Marcos — does a line item veto just like he initially intended to do, he cannot use the appropriations of the items vetoed to fund or augment other items in the budget.

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“They will have less projects to fund which may translate to a deficit lower than what was originally programmed, which may be a good or maybe bad thing, depending on who’s counting,” she said.

She then proceeded to explain that the unprogrammed funds can only be released if there is excess income or if there are new sources of funds not included in the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing.

Marcos is set to sign on December 30 the 2025 General Appropriations Act  (GAA) containing the proposed P6.3 trillion national budget.

The signing of the GAA was initially scheduled for December 19 or 20 but this move was deferred as the measure was still being assessed by the president.

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It was a reference to the notorious “behest loans” granted to individuals or corporations favored by powerful government officials.

According to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, certain items and provisions of the national budget bill will be vetoed in the interest of public welfare.

Among controversial items in the bill include the DepEd’s budget which was decreased by almost P12 billionheart games, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s zero subsidy, and the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program which was funded by the bicameral conference committee with more or less P26 billion.

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