President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will sign the P5.76-trillion 2024 national budget into law this week, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Monday.

Romualdez said the President will sign the 2024 General Appropriations Bill after he returns from Japan.

"It's ready for (signing), I think Wednesday. I think the signing will be on Wednesday," said Romualdez. This was after Marcos told the media last week at an event in Muntinlupa City that the 2024 GAB will be signed into law before Christmas.

Romualdez said Marcos was initially going to sign the national budget before going to Japan, but some printing requirements needed to be met first.

The 2024 national budget includes funds for the "robust defense of the West Philippine Sea," Romualdez said.

He  said he doesn't expect the President to reject or veto any part of the bill, which got rid of the P500 million that was set aside for the Office of Vice President Sara Duterte from the secret fund allocation for civilian agencies.

The House moved earlier in the budget process to take civilian organizations' confidential funds away so the budget could be used for better things, such as making the WPS safer for Filipino  fishermen and  the military.

"We're not anticipating any (vetoed provisions). We've been working closely with the OP (Office of the President) and all the departments," he added.

"Both houses (of Congress) agreed on it. The heads of the departments have agreed to it. They have voluntarily withdrawn it (request for confidential funds)," Romualdez said.

Also, Romualdez said the PCG has been given more money in the 2024 General Appropriations Bill, which is the biggest bill ever in the country's history.

  The 2024 budget is 21.7 percent of the gross domestic product and is 9.5 percent higher than the 2023 budget, which was P5.268 trillion.