DBM reluctant to reenact ‘most corrupt’ 2025 budget

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) expressed caution about reenacting the “most corrupt” 2025 budget, but added that preparations are underway in case President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. follows through on his warnings to Congress not to deviate significantly from the Executive branch’s spending priorities.

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“Hopefully not, because if the 2025 budget is reenacted... it’s the most corrupt kind of budget. So why reenact it?” Budget Secretary Amenah F, Pangandaman said, responding to a question about the likelihood of a reenacted budget.

Nevertheless, the DBM is preparing rules that will govern operations in case the President refuses to sign the budget bill, she said. If no budget is in place by the new year, the government automatically reverts to the preceding year’s spending plan, which is typically smaller and is focused on priorities that could have changed.

The 2025 budget drew a Presidential veto covering P194 billion worth of spending items, and raised concerns over the size of the public works allocations. The Constitution requires governments to make education their top spending priority.