Senate OKs P6.352 trillion national budget for 2025

The Senate finally approved the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for next year. With 18 votes in favor and one abstention, the upper chamber passed House Bill No. 10800, or the General Appropriations Act of 2025. No senator voted against the measure. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate finally approved the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for next year.

With 18 votes in favor and one abstention, the upper chamber passed House Bill No. 10800, or the General Appropriations Act of 2025. No senator voted against the measure.

The only lawmaker who abstained was Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, who gave this explanation for his action:

“I notice that we are now proceeding to the third reading on the same day that we just approved this bill on the second reading, and the reason for this is the presence of another presidential certification, which I find so unfortunate because it forces me to make this manifestation to be consistent with my stand in the other bills which were certified which I believe are not compliant with the constitutional requirement that there must be an emergency right before our face — that’s why we need the presidential certification. I just wanna make this manifestation so it’s no longer an objection” — clarifying that his stand must therefore be recorded as abstention.

READ: P6.352 trillion national budget for 2025 reaches Senate floor

Meanwhile, in a speech she gave prior approval of the budget, Sen. Grace Poe–chairperson of the chamber’s panel on finance—enumerated some of the amendments made on the national funding for 2025.

“Pinakamahalaga sa ating badyet ang paglalaan ng pondo para sa serbisyong pangkalusugan, edukasyon, at mga programang pangkabuhayan para sa mga Pilipino. Through the efforts of Vice Chair Pia Cayetano, we made sure that the Cancer Control Program and Cancer Assistance Program are capable of providing early detection, diagnosis, treatments, medicine, and care-related services not just for the 8 common types of cancer but for all emerging types as well,” said Poe.

According to her, the UP Philippine Genome Center will also “directly receive funding” for genomic biosurveillance so that it may conduct research on disease outbreaks and monitor mutations. This, in line with the country’s bid to improve its capacity in terms of tracking the spread of infectious diseases.

“To ensure that no patient will ever be turned away due to the lack of hospital beds or incomplete facilities, we included additional allocation for Health Facilities Enhancement Program. Kabilang na dito ang paglalaan ng dagdag na pondo para sa mga mobile laboratories, hospital equipment, at mga ambulansya,” Poe added.

In terms of education, Poe said the Senate had prioritized the Free Higher Education Program across various State Universities and Colleges, and subsidies for r learners and tertiary-level students from low-income households.

“This is to fulfill education’s role as the great equalizer for all and to ensure that our iskolars ng bayan are those who are truly in need,” she said.

Poe said they have also increased the state weather bureau’s funding to strengthen its capacity to monitor and warn of upcoming disasters.

Meanwhile, in support of the administration’s order to ban all Philippine offshore gaming operations in the Philippines, Poe said the Senate has augmented the budget of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission “so they can hire additional personnel and effectively implement the crackdown on POGO activities, especially those operating underground.”

Now that the two chambers of Congress –the House of Representatives and Senate – have already approved the 2025 national budget, a bicameral conference committee is expected to begin shortly.

The bicameral panel will then collaborate and come up with a reconciled version of the national budget for next year.

Once reconciled, the bill will be returned in both chambers of Congress for ratification. The ratified version will then be transmitted to the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his signature.