MANILA -- Congress has approved the proposed P6.352 trillion 2025 National Budget. 

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference committee report, reconciling the two chambers' differences on House Bill 10800. 

This paves the way for the transmittal of the bill to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr for signing into law. 

Senate President Francis Escudero presided over the vote on the report. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and his deputy, Senator Risa Hontiveros voted against the ratification. 

Before the Senate ratified the committee report, Senate Finance Committee Chair Grace Poe explained the contents of the report to her colleagues.

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"Allow me to walk you through the key highlights of this budget, one that prioritizes not just growth, but equity, and empowerment, given the very tight fiscal space that we have," Poe said.

"At the heart of our economic recovery lies our unwavering dedication to creating jobs and stimulating growth. Napakahalaga ng mga pamumuhunan sa imprastruktura, kaya naman ganoon na lamang kalaki ang itinaas ng pondo sa iba’t ibang mahahalagang ahensya sa ilalim nito. Ang pagkakaroon nito ay nakakapaglikha ng trabaho at nakapagpapadali ng pagbyahe sa iba’t- ibang parte ng Pilipinas para doon sa mga nagtatrabaho at namumuhunan dito." 

"We’ve also increased the budget of the DICT to expand our digital literacy efforts so that more Filipinos are able to keep up with the ever-changing and evolving technology. We did the same for MMDA for a better traffic management that will alleviate congestion and boost productivity in Metro Manila," she said.

"We also funded the Liwanag at Tubig Assistance Welfare or LITAW Program, a groundbreaking initiative to restore electricity and water access for low- income households in times of calamities and natural disasters." 

"Sinigurado natin na matutukan sa susunod na taon ang pagpapatayo ng mas maraming Rural Health Units, DOH at LGU hospitals, at bagong urgent care ambulatory services or BUCAS centers. We also intensified DOH’s capacity to prevent and control communicable diseases particularly rabies." 

"We’ve increased the funding of the DND to fund critical projects, including the Kalayaan Island Sheltered Port and the Pag-asa Airport. These are strategic investments that underscore our commitment to asserting our territorial integrity." Poe explained."A more generous funding is also allotted to the Philippine Coast Guard to ensure that our coastlines are patrolled and secured, safeguarding not just our territory but also the livelihoods of our beloved fisherfolk." 

"Pinondohan din natin ang operasyon ng mga hukuman at ang Social Lawyering Fund upang matiyak ang mabilis at patas na pagkamit ng katarungan. We also bolstered the fight against human trafficking and child sexual abuse as well as cybercrimes through increased funding for our justice sector."  

In his interpellation prior to the ratification, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III flagged the decision to cut the state subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. 

"Ang problema kasi yung timing din ng pagbaba natin eh. We want to teach them a lesson, pero 74.4 billion pesos tatanggalin natin, isi-zero natin. Pero hindi ba natin alam na pinasa natin dito sa chamber natin yung panukala na pababain ang premium rates. Nababa natin. At the same time, inutusan natin sila to increase their compensation packages, which ginawa nila," Pimentel said. 

"So, parang hindi makatwiran yung P74.4 billion reduction. Wrong timing pa."  

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"Mr. President. Mr. President, unang-una hindi ako naniniwala na mapipilayan sila. Kasi nga may pagkukunan pa rin silang P600 billion," Poe said. 

"Ang ating problema sa PhilHealth subsidy kasi Mr. President is yung formula is provided by law.  Diyan po, that is the long and short of it. Ngayon, by giving zero subsidy, are we in effect saying that they are suspending the provisions in the Universal Health Care Act? Ah the Sin Tax Law, so thank you for correcting me. The Sin Tax law which provides for that formula which we discussed during the budget deliberations," Pimentel said. 

Poe disputed this, maintaining they are not suspending the operation of a law. 

"You know, we have more than a trillion pesos of unfunded laws in the country," Poe said, "Maraming mga batas pero nagkukulang ang pondo para dito." 

"So Mr. President, I'm just pointing this out na we may be inviting another case before the Supreme Court because under the theory that the GAA, if we pass this, is amending indirectly the sin tax law," Pimentel said. 

Escudero defended the decision to take away the subsidy. 

The Senate President presided over the vote on the report. 

"Dahil nga, yung limang daan, sobra-sobra, kaya sinubukan bawasan, binalik ng Korte Suprema yung ilan at pinagbawal na, pero mula sa limang daan, bumaba ng apat na daan at apat na po, sa ngayon, P600 billion muli yun. Dadagdagan pa natin uli ng 74 para sa ano, hindi naman dinadagdagan yung benepisyo, sa totoo lang." Escudero said, 

Pimentel also flagged the increase in the Unprogrammed Funds, which are items in the budget that can only be implemented once government is able to raise funds. 

Poe reported that the unprogrammed appropriations is  over P531 billion for 2025, a huge jump from the National Expenditure Program level of  over P158 billion. 

"Yes, an increase of P373 billion. Unfortunately, Mr. President, this practice of increasing the unprogrammed appropriations in the final version of the national budget, over and above the level of the unprogrammed appropriations recommended by the President in the President's budget or called the NEP is one of the issues I have raised before the Supreme Court and we are repeating the said practice in our plan for the 2025 budget," Pimentel said. 

"Well, Mr. President, the unprogrammed is really not part of the total of the bicam report or the budget proposed. Okay, so it's obviously that's why it's called unprogrammed, it's unfunded. Now if you mentioned about the President, the President has the power to appropriate for the unprogrammed funds based on certain criteria," Poe explained.