(MANILA BULLETIN)

House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako-Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has confirmed on Friday, Oct. 25 the lower chamber's transmission of the P6.352-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) to the Senate. 

This 2025 GAB or proposed national budget already contains the key amendments from the House of Representatives' small committee aimed at bolstering social safety nets and ensuring food security. 

Co is a member of this small committee. The other members are Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo, Majority Leader Zamboanga City 1st district Rep. Mannix Dalipe, and Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Nonoy Libanan. 

The amendments include an additional P292.23 billion dedicated to supporting vulnerable sectors, including low-income families, farmers, and soldiers. 

“This budget is a lifeline for those who need it most. By increasing funding for social programs, we’re addressing immediate needs while laying the groundwork for long-term resilience," Co said. 

Significant enhancements in the budget include an extra P39.8 billion allocated to the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), which will offer financial aid to those earning P21,000 or less monthly. 

The AKAP allocation for 2025 is three times higher than the previous year’s P13 billion, in response to widespread public demand. 

The education sector remains a priority, and was earmarked an additional P30.01 billion for scholarships under the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHEd) Tertiary Education Subsidy and Tulong Dunong programs. 

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) will receive P7 billion more for the construction and repair of school facilities. 

To bolster national security, P8.44 billion has been added to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) budget, raising soldiers’ daily subsistence allowance by 67 percent to P250. Funding is also allocated for critical infrastructure projects on Pag-asa Island to defend the West Philippine Sea (WPS). 

In agriculture, P30 billion was directed toward irrigation and cold storage projects to enhance food security, while the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) budget saw a P44 billion increase. 

The amended GAB now awaits Senate deliberations, Co said. 

Lawmakers have expressed optimism about its enactment before the end of the year.