No DOST budget hike for 2025 – Zubiri

ZUBIRI PRESIDES BUDGET HEARING: Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri presides over the Finance Subcommittee K hearing on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, on the proposed 2025 budgets of the Commission on Filipino Overseas, Philippine Space Agency, and Philippine Postal Corporation. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will not be getting a budget hike for 2025, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri confirmed on Wednesday.

The DOST’s proposed budget for 2025 was P49.253 billion, but only P28.772 billion was approved in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

In an ambush interview, Zubiri admitted to reporters that he felt sad with the decision made by the conferees from the Senate and House of Representatives.

“We fought for a P700 to P800 million budget increase for them in the Senate, but after the bicam report was released, we saw that the DOST’s budget was reverted to the NEP level,” he said.

“I pity Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology). The Kanlaon Volcano erupted the other day. They say they lack monitoring equipment. We have nothing more to add to that. It would have been added to the budget today, but there’s none,” he added.

The former Senate president also said he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Zubiri said the weather bureau may use the proposed budget hike to better monitor weather conditions across the country.

“That’s why I’m sad. I wish we had been told that this is what will happen; I wish we had found a way; we could have lobbied for the increase of their budget,” he said in Filipino.

“I’m just disappointed as the chairman of the subcommittee handling the budget of the DOST. I am ashamed. I was really embarrassed. I feel sorry for them. So that’s it. I’m really sad,” he added.

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