The House Committee on Appropriations  Senior Vice Chairperson and Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo presides over the hearing scrutinizing the proposed P2.037-billion budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on August 28, 2024. Handout via House of Representatives/File

MANILA -- The Supreme Court has required the presence of House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations Chairperson and Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo in the April 1 oral arguments on the 2025 national budget. 

Former executive secretary Atty. Vic Rodriguez announced in a Facebook post that during the preliminary conference at the Supreme Court Wednesday, Quimbo was required by the high court to attend the oral arguments. 

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra confirmed that Quimbo and the Technical Working Group staff of the House and the Senate were required to attend the oral arguments which may last until April 3. 

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The Supreme Court and Quimbo have yet to issue a statement on the matter. 

Last month, the SC announced the holding of oral arguments in Baguio on the petition of Rodriguez and other individuals that challenged the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 12116 or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of Fiscal Year 2025. 

The petitioners raised the failure of the government to allocate mandatory funding for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, the supposed unlawful increase in appropriations beyond the President’s recommendations and allocating the highest budget to infrastructure over education. 

The petitioners also pointed out that the Bicameral Committee Report on the General Appropriations Bill contained blank items.

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Meanwhile, House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro is optimistic Quimbo and the relevant congressional staff will be able to defend the 2025 national budget from a petition challenging its constitutionality.

But she also asserted the need for the bicameral conference committee to be transparent in its proceedings, and for the budget bill to be complete before ratification. 

“Tama lang na harapin nila ‘yun, para magkaroon na rin talaga siguro ng jurisprudence or ng decision ang Supreme Court kaugnay doon sa bicam. Kasi hindi nagiging transparent kasi ang bicam… Kailangan nilang humarap doon para makita talaga ‘yung truth behind doon sa binabanggit ng mga petitioner na tungkol doon sa mga blangko… Made-defend naman nila ‘yung enrolled bill. Kasi ang nakita lang naman namin ay ‘yung ni-ratify. Pero just the same, dapat talaga pag ni-ratify, walang mga blangko,” Castro said. 

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