PRESIDENT Marcos is set to veto certain provisions of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) to protect public welfare, Malacañang announced early Wednesday, December 18.
This follows recent budget cuts affecting the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
In a statement, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed that specific items and provisions of the national budget would be vetoed in line with the fiscal program and legal requirements.
As a result, the signing of the proposed P6.352-trillion budget, originally scheduled for Friday, December 20, has been postponed for further review.
“The signing of the General Appropriations Act on December 20 will not proceed to allow for a thorough review of this crucial measure,” Bersamin said. He added that President Marcos is personally overseeing the review, in consultation with key department heads, and that no new signing date has been set.
Earlier this week, President Marcos defended the significant increase in the proposed budget for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which rose from P900 billion to P1.113 trillion after the bicameral conference committee.
He emphasized the need for spending on infrastructure, particularly flood control, for the safety of the public.
Meanwhile, the President expressed his intent to restore a P10-billion cut from DepEd’s proposed budget, which he said conflicted with his administration’s focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs.
Marcos acknowledged the challenge of addressing the budget shortfall but assured that the issue was being worked on.
Despite these ongoing adjustments, Marcos aims to sign the 2025 GAA before Christmas.