House eyes approval of 2025 budget by end of September

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives aims to pass the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 before Congress goes on break by the end of September. 

House Speaker Martin Romualdez made this announcement in a statement on Wednesday, a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP), or the budget proposal that the executive department will send to Congress for deliberation.

“Aside from our commitment in approving the few remaining LEDAC priority measures... the House will again work doubly hard to pass the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) before we go on break this end of September 2024,” Romualdez said.

“We will then transmit the GAB to the Senate for its consideration,” he added.

The lower chamber will prioritize funding for education, agriculture, the modernization and welfare programs of the armed forces, infrastructure and "the legacy projects" of Marcos.

“We have to continue building roads, highways, ports, school buildings, climate change-proof structures, and similar infrastructure to maintain and expand economic growth. Progress has to reach the remotest communities,” Romualdez said.

The executive department targets to submit the NEP a week after Marcos delivers his third state of the nation address on July 22.