House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez set the tone for the start of the deliberations of the P6.352-trillion 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) Monday, Aug. 5 by saying that the country's economic progress must trickle down to the common Filipino. 

“Aanhin natn ang pag-unlad kung hindi naman makikinabang ang ordinaryong Pilipino?" said Speaker Romualdez during his speech in plenary ahead of the presentation of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on the 2025 NEP. 

(What good is progress if it's no benefit to the ordinary Filipino?) 

"Para saan ang magandang numero ng ekonomiya kung hindi ito mararamdaman ng mahihirap nating kababayan?" Romualdez further asked. 

(What's the use of having good numbers about the economy if this isn't felt by our poor countrymen?) 

“Malinaw ang direksyon ng budget natin sa taong 2025: siguruhin ang patuloy na pag-angat at paglakas ng ekonomiya. Tiyakin na makikinabang ang lahat ng Pilipino sa pag-unlad na ito. Patibayin ang mabuting pamamahala para sa kabutihan ng lahat,” he told his House colleagues and the administration’s economic managers under the DBCC. 

(Our budget direction for 2025 is clear: to ensure that the economy continues to improve and get stronger. To guarantee that all Filipinos benefit from this progress. To strengthen good government for the sake of all.) 

Attending the plenary discussions on the NEP before the Committee on Appropriations were Department Budget Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Ralph Recto, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Arsenio Balisacan, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. 

Romualdez said the national outlay “is the best tool we have to ensure that all our people, especially the poor, feel the tangible benefits of our economic achievements". 

The NEP is the precursor of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed national budget. The appropriations panel chaired by Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co will craft the GAB in the following weeks. 

Once signed by the President, the GAB becomes the General Appropriations Act (GAA).


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https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/4/house-to-start-2025-budget-deliberations

On top of the spending priority list is education with an allocation of P977.6 billion, followed by public works with P900 billion, health with P297.6 billion, interior and local government with P278.4 billion, defense with P256.1 billion, social welfare with P230.1 billion, agriculture with P211.3 billion, transportation with P180.9 billion, judiciary with P63.6 billion, and justice with P40.6 billion. 

“In the performance of our duty to allocate our financial resources, we bear the utmost responsibility to ensure that the budget proposals of every department and agency correspond with the welfare and advancement of the Filipino people and target their priorities and needs,” the Speaker said. 

Referring to the Monday's proceedings, Co said: "This is a crucial step for the Committee on Appropriations to come up with a General Appropriations Bill. Our duty is to ensure that our nation's financial resources are allocated effectively and responsibly to meet the needs and aspirations of our people." 

"In these challenging times, a well-crafted budget is essential for addressing our country's pressing issues, from economic recovery to social equity and food security," he said. 

Co said the DBCC plays a pivotal role in crafting this budget. 

"The DBCC's expertise and insights are instrumental in the decisions we will make to shape a realistic budget. As we discuss details of the proposed allocations, we must recognize the thorough analysis and careful planning undertaken for each line item," the Bicolano said.