2025 budget unaffected by feud

The proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Bill remains on track despite the ongoing feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada made the remarks when asked whether the ongoing clash between the nation’s top officials would derail Congress’ prioritization of next year’s national budget.

“I don’t think so. We are not getting affected by whatever kind of noise in politics. We are just focused on working,” Estrada said in a radio interview over the weekend.

Senator Grace Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, earlier said that President Marcos intends to approve the 2025 GAA by 19 December.

The proposed national budget is currently being discussed by members of both chambers through the Bicameral Conference Committee, which was convened on Thursday to reconcile the conflicting provisions of the measure.

This followed the Senate’s unanimous approval of the proposed national budget on the third and final reading, citing the letter of certification issued by the President.

The chamber decided to adopt the 2025 GAB version approved by the House of Representatives, including the reduced budget allocation for the Duterte-led office amounting to P733 million, far from its original proposed budget of P2.037 billion.

According to Poe, the chamber adopted the House of Representatives version of the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget, including the OVP’s deducted budget, citing the non-submission of requests from the OVP.

“There was no formal request from the OVP about the budget increase. We all know that during committee hearings, if a budget should be increased, a formal request should come from them, since the breakdowns will come from them,” Poe told reporters in a press conference.

Estrada noted that the political bickering between the country’s top leaders would bring no good to the country, particularly in its economy.

“It could happen. You see what happened during the impeachment of my father. Our economy further slowed down. It is not advisable to have this kind of impeachment trial,” he said when asked about the possible impeachment case against Duterte.

Marcos on Friday confirmed sending a message to the leaders of the House of Representatives, turning down any impeachment case against Duterte.