Congress receives 2025 NEP; Lower House prioritizes job creation, quality education, and expanded healthcare in 2025 budget

Transcript

00:00The country's charter mandates the legislator as having power on the purse strings of government,

00:06anointing the nation's lawmakers to have first dibs and control on all national spending.

00:12Hence, the proposed 2025 National Expenditure Program was officially turned over today

00:17to the Congress, from which all legislation on government spending stems.

00:23Our Mela Lesmos tells us more.

00:25House Speaker Martin Romualdez has assured that job creation, quality education,

00:33expanded health care, and social protection are among the priorities of the House of

00:37Representatives in allocating funds in the proposed 2025 National Budget.

00:42Earlier today, the Department of Budget and Management formally turned over the 2025

00:47National Expenditure Program to the lower house, cuing the start of the budget season.

00:53Following this, the DBM officials headed by Secretary Amina Pangandaman also went to the

00:58Senate to hand over a copy of the NEP. Senate President Francis Escudero, together with other

01:04senators, formally received it in a simple and fitting ceremony. The NEP is important because

01:10it serves as the basis for lawmakers in creating the 2025 General Appropriations Bill, which will

01:15soon become the General Appropriations Act, once enacted by President Ferdinand R. Marquez Jr.

01:22According to DBM Secretary Amina Pangandaman, in line with the President's directive,

01:26she assures the National Budget will appropriately address the needs of the Filipino people.

01:32As stated by PBBM himself in his Third State of the Nation Address,

01:37this budget was crafted with utmost care, diligence, and meticulous attention.

01:51I am confident that with the collaborative efforts of the Executive and Legislative Departments,

02:05we will achieve a budget that not only meets the immediate needs of our people,

02:10but also sets the stage for a more prosperous and equitable Philippines.

02:15Like in the past years, the education sector remains the top priority in the budget proposal,

02:21followed by public works, health, interior and local government, and defense. Also included in

02:26the priority sectors are social welfare, agriculture, transportation, the judiciary,

02:32and justice sectors. Meanwhile, because a severe calamity recently struck Metro Manila, the media

02:38asked the DBM if the government has allocated sufficient funds for disaster response and

02:43assistance for our countrymen next year. The DBM responded,

02:48Regarding the controversial confidential and intelligence funds, the DBM emphasized a

03:14significant decrease in the CIFs in the proposed 2025 national budget as compared to its allocation

03:21in the 2024 GAA. Melales Moras from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.