xr8888 @ newslot888 Ledak88 After Marcos veto of P200-B items, Palace confident 2025 budget law can pass legal test

AFTER President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directly vetoed almost P200 billion worth of items from Republic Act (RA) No. 12116 or the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), Malacañang said it is now confident that the final version of the P6.326-trillion national budget next year will pass legal scrutiny.

At the ceremonial signing of the 2025 GAA in the Palace on Monday, Marcos said he removed P194 billion worth of line items that are not consistent with the programmed priorities of his administration from the P6.352-trillion national budget, which were approved by the Bicameral Conference Committee of Congress.

“These include allocations for certain programs and projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and those under the Unprogrammed Appropriations, which increased by 300 percent,” the chief executive said. 

The President signed the 2025 GAA after a comprehensive review of its provisions in the last two weeks.

Of the vetoed items, P26 billion are from DPWH, while the remaining P168 billion are unprogrammed appropriations.

Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said the lowering of DPWH’s budget by P26 billion will remedy the “legal infirmities” of the 2025 GAA, particularly related to education next year.

“We cannot prevent if there will be challenges that will be mounted by any quarter who might still find this present budget as approved worthy of the challenge. But, that is something that we cannot prevent. But, I am confident that we worked very hard on this and that our efforts will be validated…,” Bersamin said.

Marcos assured the people the 2025 GAA will be subjected to cash programming; applicable budget execution rules; and vetting and approval of the concerned offices.

“This way we guarantee that these programs and projects are implementable and will redound to the benefit of our people,” he said.