President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has vetoed over ₱194 billion in line items from the ₱6.326-trillion national budget for 2025, citing the need to prioritize programs aligned with his administration’s goals and fiscal sustainability.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Marcos emphasized that government spending must directly address the needs of Filipinos while ensuring fiscal responsibility. “Our finite resources compel us to exercise sound judgment to ensure our fiscal sustainability—we must not compromise our future,” he said in a message to Congress.
Among the vetoed items are certain programs under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and unprogrammed appropriations, which had seen a 300% increase. Marcos underscored the importance of safeguarding taxpayers’ money and aligning spending with national priorities. “We take our role as stewards of taxpayers’ money seriously,” he added.
While signing the General Appropriations Act (GAA) into law on Monday, Marcos also ordered the conditional implementation of specific budget items to ensure funds are used for their intended purposes. He called for the “conscientious utilization” of the budget to sustain economic growth, manage inflation, and deliver targeted social services.
The education sector received the largest allocation of ₱1.055 trillion, consistent with the constitutional mandate to prioritize education. However, the budget faced scrutiny from lawmakers over cuts to the Department of Education (DepEd), the zero subsidy for PhilHealth, and funding for the controversial ₱26-billion “Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program” (AKAP).
Despite these concerns, Marcos vowed to uphold education and social services as top priorities. “Titiyakin namin na mananatiling prayoridad ang social services, kasama na rin diyan ang edukasyon, ayon sa mandato ng ating Saligang Batas,” he said.
