Marcos may return 2025 budget bill to Congress -senators

Senators Imee Marcos and Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri proposed on Monday that  President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. could return the ratified 2025 budget bill to Congress to address contentious budgetary allocations.

Zubiri explained that the President had the option to request the Bicameral Conference Committee (bicam) to make revisions.

"[The President] can always tell the Bicameral Conference Committee to return it and to do a better job and we can work overtime. Pwede. Posible yan, ha? We did that for the Coco Levy Fund. We did that for the Anti-Smuggling Act, na binalik po yung bicam report para ayusin," Zubiri said in an ambush interview.

He emphasized the significance of the national budget, calling it the most critical legislation Congress passes annually.

"Para sa ating mga kababayan, budget yan eh. 'Di ba? Napakahalaga yan napaka-importante... So, let's do it right," he added.

Zubiri raised concerns about the potential violation of the constitutional mandate that education receives the highest budgetary priority.

"Napakalaki ng cut. Almost P42 billion on the education sector. So, sana po, ma-remedy pa po ni Presidente yun. May veto powers po siya," Zubiri said.

(The education sector faced an almost P42 billion cut. Hopefully, the  President can address this with his veto powers.)

Zubiri noted that public works, rather than education, now appeared to receive the largest budget share, contrary to constitutional provisions.

Work through the holidays

Senator Imee Marcos supported Zubiri’s suggestion, urging the President to thoroughly scrutinize the budget.

"Siguro ang tanging panawagan na lamang ay suriin nang maigi ng ating Pangulo  at siya na lang ang mag-utos na ibalik 'yan. Kahit magtrabaho kami ng  Pasko, walang problema. Wala namang Pasko ang mahihirap eh," Senator Marcos said.

(My appeal is for the President to review the General Appropriations Bill carefully. He can order its return to Congress if necessary.)

She emphasized  Congress's willingness to work through the holidays to address any issues and cited previous instances when budget bills were sent back for revision.

Among the questionable budget items Senator Marcos flagged were:

• P26 billion allocated to the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP),
• The removal of the PhilHealth subsidy, and
• A substantial increase in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget, now at P1.1 trillion.

Despite the criticisms, Senate Finance Committee Chair Grace Poe had maintained that the education sector remained a top priority in the 2025 budget.

President Marcos has already signaled his intention to restore the P10 billion cut from the Department of Education's (DepEd) budget.

The final version of the budget bill will be sent to Malacañang for review,  where the President can either approve it or exercise his constitutional veto powers. — DVM, GMA Integrated News