Marcos eyeing to sign 2025 budget before year-end

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr.  (Official Facebook page of PCO)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the 2025 national budget may be signed before the end of the year.

Marcos was scheduled to sign the 2025 budget bill on Friday, December 20. It was, however, deferred to make way for further review.

In an ambush interview in Pasay City, Marcos was asked if he will sign it before December 31.

“I think we will be able to do it before the New Year,” Marcos said.

Marcos added he cannot give information on the ongoing review but stressed that they are “going through item by item, line by line, to see what is priority and what is not.”

He also said the ratified 2025 national budget bill can no longer be returned to Congress following calls from Senators Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Imee Marcos to bring it back to the bicameral conference committee for revisions.

“There is no procedure to return it to the bicam. It’s finished already in the House. It’s finished in Congress, tapos na (it’s done). So it’s up to us now to look at the items and to see what are appropriate, what are relevant, and what are the priorities,” he explained.

On Wednesday afternoon, Marcos met with top government officials to review the 2025 national budget, the Presidential Communications Office said.

He met with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan in Malacañang.