DBM: Unprogrammed appropriations in proposed 2025 budget 78% lower than 2024 funds

The unprogrammed appropriations in the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for next year has been reduced by nearly 80%, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Thursday.

“Total unprogrammed [appropriations] po natin for NEP (National Expenditure Program) next year is P158.6 billion, a significant decrease of P572 billion or 78.31% from P731 [billion] allocation for this year,” Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said at a press briefing in Malacañang.

The Budget chief said the total unprogrammed appropriations for next year “is only 2.5% of the P6.352-trillion proposed budget.”

Pangandaman said the DBM included all of the agencies’ projects in the “program level” to reduce the unprogrammed appropriations for next year.

Compared to programmed appropriations which have definite/identified funding at the time the budget is prepared, unprogrammed appropriations are those "which provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collection exceeds targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated."

Pangandaman said the Budget Department even included foreign-assisted projects, which it deemed implementable “within the year,” in the programmed appropriations.

To recall, opposition lawmakers have questioned the constitutionality of the additional P450 billion to the unprogrammed appropriations made by Congress in the 2024 General Appropriations Act. 

The DBM, in defense of the additional unprogrammed funds, said that the “standby appropriations” exist outside the national budget.

The Budget Department also said that the unprogrammed funds are not automatically released since it will require additional revenues. — BM, GMA Integrated News