The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) asserted the constitutionality of the 2025 national budget, dismissing criticisms from various sectors.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman stressed that the General Appropriations Act for 2025, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., adheres to constitutional requirements and remains aligned to the government’s economic goals.
“The President ensured that the budget remained true to our constitutional mandates while exercising his veto power to ensure that the budget ultimately continues to be directed to meeting our agenda for prosperity,” Pangandaman stated.
According to the DBM, the budget allocates the highest priority to education, with P1.05 trillion earmarked for the sector, in compliance with Article XIV, Section 5(5) of the 1987 Constitution.
Following debates over the bicameral conference committee’s reduction of the education sector’s allocation, Pangandaman emphasized that the President exercised his veto power to redirect funds towards priority programs.
The final approved budget totals P6.326 trillion, reduced from an initially proposed P6.352 trillion.
Former Senator Panfilo Lacson had criticized the reduced budget for the Department of Education, which he argued contradicted the Constitution’s prioritization of education.
Meanwhile, President Marcos highlighted that reverting to a reenacted budget was not an option, warning that it would delay vital government programs and jeopardize economic growth targets.
“A reenacted budget will set us back, delay our vital programs, jeopardize targets for economic growth, including our goals of achieving single-digit poverty levels, and upper-middle-income status,” he emphasized.
Follow Tan Briones & Associates on LinkedIn for more legal updates and law-related articles.