BBM: Gov't looking to restore cuts in 'suboptimal budget'

Describing the 2025 national budget as "suboptimal," President Marcos yesterday gave assurance that key government agencies that sustained budget cuts would have their funding restored for vital programs.

- With Alexis Romero

Speaking to reporters in Leyte, the President said the administration is exploring alternative measures to secure adequate funding for urgent government projects.

"What we are doing is that those who have lost too much in the NEP, in the National Expenditure Program, that were not given funds, we are looking for savings to return those funds," Marcos said in Filipino.

"This is what we are doing. So, maybe - as I said, the original budget can be described as suboptimal. We are working to make it optimal once again," the President said.

The NEP is the version of the national budget Malacañang submits to Congress after the President delivers the State of the Nation Address every fourth Monday of July.

Marcos recently met with heads of various agencies at Malacañang to review their 2025 appropriations.

Marcos underscored the administration's focus on securing funding for critical sectors, including education, health care and housing.

Apparently, the vetoes made by the Chief Executive to the 2025 General Appropriations Act were not sufficient to address funding issues of certain departments after Congress made major amendments to the NEP.