Marcos asserts 'can't find those damned blank items' in 2025 budget | ABS-CBN
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Marcos asserts 'can't find those damned blank items' in 2025 budget
Marcos asserts 'can't find those damned blank items' in 2025 budget
Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,
ABS-CBN News
Published Jan 30, 2025 11:40 AM PHT
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Updated Jan 30, 2025 12:45 PM PHT
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads the sectoral meeting on the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program at the Malacañan Palace in Manila, on June 18, 2024. Mike Alquinto, PPA Pool
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads the sectoral meeting on the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program at the Malacañan Palace in Manila, on June 18, 2024. Mike Alquinto, PPA PoolMANILA (UPDATED) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Thursday reiterated that there were no "blank items" in the 2025 national budget, saying he reviewed all "4,057 pages of it" before he signed it.
MANILA (UPDATED) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Thursday reiterated that there were no "blank items" in the 2025 national budget, saying he reviewed all "4,057 pages of it" before he signed it.
"Just last month, I had to read 4,057 pages of the General Appropriations Act for 2025... Because I reviewed it, analyzed it, and yes—in parts, vetoed it. [And] up to now I can't find those damned blank items," Marcos said in a speech in Cebu.
"Just last month, I had to read 4,057 pages of the General Appropriations Act for 2025... Because I reviewed it, analyzed it, and yes—in parts, vetoed it. [And] up to now I can't find those damned blank items," Marcos said in a speech in Cebu.
"So for those of you who think that the presidency is just handshakes and photo ops, I assure you that fine print is alive in my office as well," he added.
"So for those of you who think that the presidency is just handshakes and photo ops, I assure you that fine print is alive in my office as well," he added.
Marcos made the remarks shortly after his former executive secretary and campaign spokesperon Vic Rodriguez, and Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
Marcos made the remarks shortly after his former executive secretary and campaign spokesperon Vic Rodriguez, and Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
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They said they had discovered supposed blank items in the budget’s bicameral conference committee report amounting to about P100 billion.
They said they had discovered supposed blank items in the budget’s bicameral conference committee report amounting to about P100 billion.
While Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, acting chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, acknowledged there were blank items in the bicam report, she said all appropriations had already been “determined” and “approved” when members of the bicam committee signed it.
While Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, acting chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, acknowledged there were blank items in the bicam report, she said all appropriations had already been “determined” and “approved” when members of the bicam committee signed it.
Marcos said his office would keep looking for supposed blank items, but said he was "convinced that they simply do not exist because it is not allowed to exist."
Marcos said his office would keep looking for supposed blank items, but said he was "convinced that they simply do not exist because it is not allowed to exist."
Malacañang has also distanced itself from the issue of blank items in the bicam report, saying that the matter is internal to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Malacañang has also distanced itself from the issue of blank items in the bicam report, saying that the matter is internal to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Following the controversy surrounding the 2025 budget law, some analysts had called for more transparency in the budget process, particularly at the bicam level where "miracle" insertions usually take place. — with a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News
Following the controversy surrounding the 2025 budget law, some analysts had called for more transparency in the budget process, particularly at the bicam level where "miracle" insertions usually take place. — with a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News
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