The House plenary. (Speaker’s office)

The House of Representatives is bent on approving the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on third and final reading on Wednesday, Sept. 25 after two weeks of plenary debates. 

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Sunday, Sept. 22 says the House is adhering to its plenary deliberation-approval timeline “because we are treating the national spending program with urgency without sacrificing transparency". 

The leader of the 300-plus-strong House said the approval of the outlay before Congress goes on recess next weekend would give the Senate enough time for its own debate-passage process. 

“We have sufficient time to finally agree on the budget before yearend. It is the most important piece of legislation Congress passes every year,” he said. 

“Next year’s spending legislation will serve as our tool for sustained economic development. It will support the Agenda for Prosperity programs of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.,” added the Leyte 1st district congressman. 

VP Sara's budget--to slash or not to slash 

But the immediate goal of the chamber once plenary proceedings resume on Monday morning, Sept. 23 is determine the finality--at least on the part of the House--of the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) next year under Vice President Sara Duterte 

The Committee on Appropriations--the lead panel in the budget legislation process--had earlier recommended a massive 63 percent cut--from P2.037 billion to P733 million--in the 2025 OVP budget. This was mainly due to Vice President Duterte's failure to answer the House members' questions on her office's budget usage, budget usage, particularly on confidential funds. 

But after Monday's session in plenary, congressmen will have decided on the OVP's proposed budget ahead of the GAB's approval on Wednesday. 

Vice President Sara Duterte (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Romualdez stressed that the budget would also “serve as an instrument for the government to spread the dividends of economic progress through various social protection and financial assistance initiatives, and funding for infrastructures like roads, hospitals, classrooms, seaports and airports, irrigation systems, and transportation networks". 

“We hope our people will feel the benefits of growth through the programs intended for them in the national budget,” he added. 

The House leader earlier thanked the appropriations panel led by its chairman, Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, and senior vice chairperson Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo for ensuring the timely approval of the 2025 outlay. 

House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd Rep. Mannix Dalipe, chairman of the Committee on Rules, said President Marcos is expected to certify the proposed 2025 as urgent. 

Dalipe said the certification will enable the House to approve the 2024 GAB on both second and final reading on the same day.