House ensures ‘swift approval’ of 2025 budget – Romualdez

Speaker Martin Romualdez | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is “ready to take swift and decisive action” to ensure the approval of the P6.352-trillion budget for 2025 and other priority bills before the end of September, according to Speaker Martin Romualdez.

He also said the chamber is set to pass possible additional measures that will be highlighted during the upcoming State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before the end of September.

“The 2025 national budget is essential for sustaining our nation’s growth and addressing the immediate needs of our citizens, and the House is ready to ensure its swift approval to support our development and progress,” his statement on Sunday read.

READ: Sona report card: Hits, misses from Bongbong Marcos’ 2022 promises

He said the Department of Budget and Management will submit to Congress the P6.352-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) on July 29 or within 30 days after the Sona, as stated under the 1987 Constitution.

He added that the House would ensure the timely transmission of the national budget — 10 percent higher than this year’s allocation of P5.768 trillion — to the Senate. After Congress approves it, the NEP becomes the General Appropriations Bill that the President will sign into law.

“We are committed to completing the legislative agenda by passing these crucial measures. They are vital for our nation’s progress and prosperity, and we will ensure they are enacted swiftly and effectively,” Romualdez said.

“The House has diligently prioritized Ledac (Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council) bills, leading to substantial progress, with over 12,000 measures filed and 75 bills enacted into law,” he added.

Below are the following measures that were enacted:

• The Act Emancipating Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries from Financial Burden,
• The Act Establishing the Maharlika Investment Fund,
• The Act Rationalizing the Disability Pension of Veterans,
• The Act Establishing Specialty Centers in DOH Hospitals and GOCC Specialty Hospitals,
• The Act Establishing the National Employment Master Plan (Trabaho Para sa Bayan),
• The Act Protecting Online Consumers and Merchants Engaged in Internet Transactions,
• The Ease of Paying Taxes Act, the Act Granting Benefits to Filipino Octogenarians and Nonagenarians,
• The Act Mandating Educational Institutions to Allow Disadvantaged Students to Take Examinations Despite Unpaid Fees,
• The Act Protecting Workers in the Movie and Television Industry,
• The Act Institutionalizing Teaching Allowances for Public School Teachers,
• The Act Extending the Availment of Estate Tax Amnesty
• The Act Mandating Private Higher Educational Institutions to Waive College Entrance Examination Fees for Certain Students.

Among the three of the 28 Ledac bills still up for approval in the lower chamber are amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, the Agrarian Reform Law, and the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act.