House submits 2025 General Appropriations Bill to Senate

The House of Representatives on Thursday submitted its version of the General Appropriations BIll (GAB), which contains the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for 2025, to the Senate amid inclement weather.

According to the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau, the GAB was submitted to the Senate’s Legislative Bills and Index Service.

The House approved its version of GAB on September 25, a day after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. certified the measure as urgent.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero previously asked the House to submit its GAB earlier than the scheduled transmittal on October 25.

If submitted before October 25, Escudero said they are eyeing the sponsorship of their version on November 5 or 6.

The bill containing the national budget should be approved and signed by the President before the end of every fiscal year to avoid a reenacted budget for the following year. 

The submission took place even as Metro Manila is under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 due to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).

Work in both the Senate and House of Representatives was suspended for the day due to Kristine. —Joahna Lei Casilao/KBK, GMA Integrated News