Voting 18-0-1, the Senate approved on third and final reading on Tuesday, Nov. 26, House Bill 10800 or the P6.352 trillion 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
In plenary, Poe enumerated during the period of committee amendments how the Senate maximized the budget to secure the nation's security and prosperity not only in 2025 but in the years ahead. Prior to this, the senators convened for a caucus.
Poe then emphasized that the most important aspect of the budget is allocating funds for healthcare services, education, and livelihood programs for the Filipino people.
She stated that to ensure continuous and more affordable hospital care and medication for Filipinos, they have increased the funding for medical assistance for indigent and financially disadvantaged patients. On the other hand, to guarantee that no patient will ever be turned away due to a lack of hospital beds or inadequate facilities, they have allocated additional funds for a health facilities enhancement program. This includes increased funding for mobile laboratories, hospital equipment, and ambulances.
Poe also mentioned that they prioritized the Free Higher Education Program across various State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), as well as subsidies for learners and tertiary-level students from low-income households
"This is to fulfill education’s role as the great equalizer for all and to ensure that our "Iskolars ng Bayan" are those who are truly in need," Poe added.
After this, no one came forward to make any individual amendments before the budget bill was approved on second reading. It was later approved on third and final reading.
Only Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III abstained from voting for both the second and third readings respectively, stating that as he learned from last year's experience, he has adopted a wait-and-see attitude, which he believes is a more prudent approach.
OVP, AKAP budget
Meanwhile, in a message to reporters, Senate Grace Poe, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee said that the budgets of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) will be determined during the upcoming bicameral conference committee (bicam) meeting.
"For now, OVP is at GAB level while AKAP is restored to the National Expenditure Program (NEP) level. We need to consult our House counterparts on these items," she added.
To recall, the House of Representatives slashed P1.3 billion from the OVP's proposed 2025 budget in its GAB version.
On the other hand, the P39.8-billion allocation for AKAP was also inserted by the House but was deleted by Senator Imee Marcos.
It can be recalled that Marcos has stated that they've been accused in the Senate of actually having participated in AKAP simply because they lent their electronic signatures to the final bicameral report which became the GAA 2024.
Back in February, House Senior Deputy Speaker Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. said that Senator Marcos actually signed the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) or national budget.
The AKAP was spelled out in the GAA as a line item.