An advocacy group on Thursday, Jan. 2, expressed concerns over the “growing discretionary funds” in the 2025 national budget and urged that higher priority be given to the education and health sectors.

“We remain concerned about the growing discretionary funds, with their inherent nature—being less transparent, accountable, and prone to inefficiencies, duplication, and patronage—diverting vital resources from priority sectors such as education and health, which are central to inclusive growth and long-term resilience,” the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said in a statement.

Critical step

PBEd noted that allocating the largest portion of the 2025 national budget to the education sector is a “critical step” as it reaffirms the administration's commitment to prioritize education for national development.

The group commended President Marcos' decision to further scrutinize the bicameral-approved budget before its final passage and to protect Filipino learners who continue to grapple with the impact of the learning crisis.

“However, this commitment must focus clearly on the sector’s priorities and address inefficiencies that continue to plague our education and human capital development systems,” PBEd said.

The group noted that “people have always been our biggest asset, yet we are still deep in the learning and nutrition crises.”

“Our education system continues to face backlogs in teacher recruitment, classroom construction, and provision of learning materials, while our basic health services have suffered significant budget cuts,” PBEd said.

Top priority

PBEd emphasized that the education, health, nutrition, and welfare of the people must be the “top priority.”

Thus, the group noted that “realigning discretionary funds toward institutions that ensure people are educated, fed, and healthy not only immediately impacts the poor but also lays the groundwork for a strong economy.”

PBEd then urged the administration and Congress to establish “robust monitoring and oversight mechanisms” to ensure taxpayers' money is used efficiently and effectively to achieve the nation's priorities.

“While mending the budget is vital, it must be accompanied by clear, long-term strategies that prioritize the needs of our people and benefit the entire nation,” PBEd said as it reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate with policymakers to ensure that “education funding is transparent, well-managed, and dedicated to building a prosperous future for every Filipino citizen.”