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Members of the Makabayan bloc called on the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate to reconvene the Bicameral Conference Committee to address the “growing public outcry” surrounding the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025.

The militant group—composed ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel—emphasized the need to restore the budget that was slashed from social service programs.

“We reaffirm our stand that a genuine people’s budget must prioritize the welfare of the Filipino masses—health care, education, housing, and decent jobs—not the pockets of the powerful few,” the lawmakers said in a statement on Monday, Dec. 16.

“It should serve to promote genuine agrarian reform, national industrialization, and an independent foreign policy,” they added.

The Makabayan strongly denounced the recent approval of the Bicameral Conference Committee report, which they called a “blatant replay of fiscal mismanagement and political patronage”.

Both chambers of Congress had just ratified the final version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB)--which embodied the proposed national budget--on Dec. 11.

According to the group, recalling the GAB and reconvening the Bicameral Conference Committee to address certain issues in its report is a “fairly routine practice”.

Makabayan recalled that the bicam for the Magna Carta for Seafarers was reconvened three times, even after ratification, to solve certain concerns before it was signed into law by President Marcos.

They pointed out that the current version of the proposed national budget “not only slashes critical funding for social services but also bloats discretionary funds and pork barrel allotments”.

As such, the progressive lawmakers are pushing the bicam to reconvene under “full public scrutiny”, with its proceedings broadcasted live.

The group said that despite being televised, the public was kept in the dark about specific amendments, their justifications, and their impacts on urgent social services.

“Once again, the bicam has proven itself to be an unaccountable ‘third chamber’ of Congress, questionably wielding power to sabotage the priorities of the people,” they said.

‘Misprioritization’

According to the militant bloc, the budget cuts to social services under the proposed budget for next year warrants condemnation.

The group identified the zero subsidy provided for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), as well as the budget cuts suffered by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

They said this the polar opposite of the case of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) which received an additional funding, alongside unprogrammed appropriations.

“This is the height of misprioritization and callousness,” said Castro, a deputy minority leader.

Brosas, an assistant minority leader, said the proposed 2025 budget has “misplaced priorities”. She particularly cited the retention of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) and the increased funding for the Office of the President (OP).

For his part, Manuel called out how the current version of the GAB kept the supposedly questionable Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita program (AKAP).

He accused the AKAP funding as a tool to enable politicians to pursue vote-buying through financial assistance.

“This budget is an insult to the Filipino people who are struggling with skyrocketing prices, low wages, and deteriorating public services,” stressed Manuel.