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

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.