The P6.326-trillion national budget for 2025 is the government’s most powerful tool to deliver the biggest economic benefits to Filipinos, assuring the Department of Finance’s (DoF) strong commitment to work doubly hard to mobilize resources efficiently to fund it, according to Finance Secretary Ralph Recto on Monday.

Signed into law on 30 December 2024, the P6.326-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2025 is 9.7 percent higher than the previous year, equivalent to 22.0 percent of 2025’s projected Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

With the 2025 theme “Agenda for Prosperity: Fulfilling the Needs and Aspirations of the Filipino People,” the spending priorities in the national budget are anchored on the three pillars of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028: Develop and Protect the Capabilities of Individuals and Families; Transform Production Sectors to Generate More Quality Jobs and Competitive Products; and Create an Enabling Environment.

The budget also scaled up sustainable and green investments aligned with the National Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2028, ensuring a national budget that is growth-enhancing, disaster-responsive, and climate-resilient.

After an exhaustive review, the President emphasized that the Executive Branch directly vetoed over P194 billion worth of line items that were not consistent with programmed priorities.

Conditional implementation on certain items is also pursued to ensure that the people’s funds are utilized following their authorized purposes.

Recognizing the herculean task of mobilizing resources to fund the projects and programs itemized on the 2025 GAA, Secretary Recto reassured the public that the DoF will ensure that the country has enough funds to meet its needs and that every centavo will be spent efficiently on programs and projects that will greatly benefit the people.

“The DoF is assuring the Filipino citizens that we will strive more to fund more projects under the national budget,” Secretary Recto said in his remarks during the press conference following the ceremonial signing of the 2025 GAA.

The Finance chief explained that of the P6.326-trillion national budget for next year, only P4.64 trillion is supportable by revenues, translating to daily government expenditures of P17.33 billion, with the DoF bearing the responsibility of generating P12.72 billion in daily revenues.

He emphasized that the DoF will strive to not just meet but exceed its revenue targets to generate more resources — just as the country’s strong fiscal performance this year has demonstrated.