Kabataan solon slams House ratification of 2025 budget

Manila Bulletin

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel criticized the ratification of the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget, as he cited changes in funding allocations that “take the country further away from true progress”.  READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/12/kabataan-solon-slams-house-ratification-of-2025-budget  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #manilabulletin  #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00As a group of youths, we are here to support the approval of the version that was shown in the camera last September for the 2025 National Budget.

00:16We are also supporting the ratified Bicameral Conference Committee Report because we saw some changes.

00:27Not for the better, but to further distance our country from true development.

00:35First, Mr. Speaker, we noticed a decrease in the budget for agencies in education,

00:44even though we take note of the P7 billion increase in the budget of the SUCs,

00:50but the total budget for SUCs of P122 billion is still lacking.

00:56I will compare it to the original proposal of our State Universities and Colleges,

01:01where our students are striving for classrooms and spaces are lacking.

01:08Mr. Speaker, there is a gap in the budget of DepEd and CHED.

01:13This is shocking, especially while we are not yet in the education crisis,

01:18but these agencies that have a direct mandate to ensure the access and quality of our education,

01:27the budget of Bicam has been raised.

01:30Next, Mr. Speaker, in our social services, agencies like DSWD, DOLE, Department of Agriculture,

01:39there are also increases from the National Expenditure Program to the version approved by Bicam.

01:47The National Irrigation Authority, which provides a fund for the irrigation of our agricultural lands,

01:56also has an increase from NEP to Bicam.

02:00Mr. Speaker, in terms of health, we see the zero budget for PhilHealth as a big challenge

02:10for an entity like this that really shows that it deserves the requested budget

02:20because for so many years, PhilHealth has been a big failure in providing health services for our countrymen.

02:33While this zero budget for PhilHealth is a big challenge for this agency to live up to its expectations,

02:43but while there is a zero budget for PhilHealth, it is also shocking, Mr. Speaker,

02:47why there is a gap in the budget of DOH.

02:51So how can we expect to have better healthcare services if there is a 25.8 billion peso budget cut for DOH?

03:02If we compare the Bicam version to the NEP of our national budget.

03:07Next, Mr. Speaker, there is also a cut in the Calamity Fund from P21.5 billion to P21 billion.

03:15We know, our countrymen, that we have seen the effects of climate change,

03:21but this ready fund for the arrival of diseases is still being cut, Mr. Speaker.

03:28So with these cuts on services, health, education, who are the big winners in the Bicam version, Mr. Speaker?

03:38DPWH from P825 billion in the National Expenditure Program will have P1.1 trillion under Bicam.

03:48That's an increase of roughly P290 billion, Mr. Speaker.

03:54So this is where the cut went to many agencies, Mr. Speaker.

04:00Next, we are also questioning the trend under the Marcos Jr. Administration,

04:06the introduction of unprogrammed appropriations, which increased actually by triple, Mr. Speaker.

04:16The unprogrammed appropriations will triple from the NEP to Bicam, from P158.7 billion to P531.7 billion.

04:27Is this also where some of the items increased from the unprogrammed appropriations, such as services?

04:37Just a final few points, Mr. Speaker.

04:39In the OVP, while again, it's true that we expected a very large OVP budget,

04:45but now we think it's not reliable to give a fund that can be used for politicking and actually for services.

04:57The Office of the Vice President was not really efficient there.

05:03If possible, Mr. Speaker, reduce the fund of the Office of the Vice President for 2025.

05:09Final note, Mr. Speaker, in the Office of the President,

05:13because we are advocating that there should be no confidential and intelligence funds for the Office of the President,

05:21but aside from not slashing the funds for the Office of the President,

05:26the fund of the Office of the President increased by P5.4 billion.

05:31So from P10, the fund of the Office of the President will be P15.8 billion.

05:37So our question is, where will that fund go?

05:42So to sum up, Mr. Speaker, the original framework of the budget is already problematic.

05:46We have a lot of questions.

05:48What were the tasks? What were the additions?

05:51While those questions are unanswered, the budget that we have, as approved by the Bicam, still has many red flags.

05:59The services are always vulnerable for the people,

06:02but the big-ticket infrastructure projects under the DPWH,

06:07and the discretionary funding, especially the unprogrammed appropriations,

06:12are better under this version.

06:15This is also a disappointment for citizens who are advocating for a more open budget process,

06:23not the transparent process of the Bicameral Conference Committee.

06:28That's all, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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