Acting House appropriations panel chairperson and Marikina City Representative Stella Quimbo affirmed the legality and enforceability of the P6.325 trillion national budget for 2025 amid allegations of irregularities. She clarified that adjustments made in the Bicameral Conference Report were authorized and did not compromise the integrity of the budget.
Quimbo issued the statement in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, and Senate President Francis Escudero, who previously defended the budget following accusations from former President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies. They alleged the President signed a defective bill containing blank items.
“The Bicameral Report explicitly authorized corrections and adjustments by the technical secretariats of both chambers. These adjustments do not undermine the legality of the budget,” Quimbo stated in a GMA News report. She emphasized that the enrolled General Appropriations Bill signed by Marcos is complete, with no blank allocations among its more than 235,000 line items.
Quimbo added that the bill’s public availability confirms its compliance with due process and transparency. She dismissed claims of impropriety as politically motivated and urged critics to focus on more pressing national concerns.
The controversy arose after Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab flagged missing budget amounts for the Department of Agriculture and unprogrammed appropriations. Duterte echoed these concerns, stating that budget items should not be left blank. Marcos refuted the allegations, calling them baseless and accusing Duterte of spreading misinformation.
Marcos signed the 2025 General Appropriations Act into law on December 30, vetoing specific provisions but maintaining the overall validity of the budget.
