BICAM OK FOR NAT’L BUDGET
THE Bicameral conference committee has approved the final version of the proposed 2025 national budget, amounting to P6.352 trillion.
Lawmakers agreed to adopt the House version which provided a slash budget for the Office of the Vice President, which is P733 million.
The proposed 2025 national budget is 10.1 percent higher than the 2024 national budget of P5.768 trillion.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has lauded the efforts of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in reconciling the disagreeing provisions of the proposed budget.
The bicam-approved 2025 national budget ensures the country’s sustained progress under the vision of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s “Bagong Pilipinas.”
Its ratification in both Houses of Congress will follow soon.
Also included in the approved budget is the increase of subsistence allowance for soldiers from P150 to P350 or a total of P10,500 a month.
House committee on appropriations chairman and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co announced that the increase in soldiers’ subsistence allowance will be funded by a P16-billion allocation in next year’s national budget.
“Napakagandang balita na nilagay po natin ang increase of our soldier’s daily subsistence allowance. We increased it from P150 to P350, that is going to be maintained and fully supported para sa ating mga sundalo,” Romualdez told reporters in an ambush interview after the bicameral conference committee meeting.
Upon the instruction of President Marcos, the House Speaker proposed the inclusion of an increased subsistence allowance for soldiers in the House version.
“Kaya nagagalak po kami for the high morale of the soldiers—our men and women in uniform sa AFP—tuloy po ‘yung daily subsistence allowance increase from P150 to P350. That translates to almost P10,500 kada buwan,” Romualdez added.
“This is a big step forward in showing our full support for the men and women in uniform. It recognizes their sacrifices and the sacrifices of their families who stand behind them,” he said in a separate statement.
Meanwhile, the decision to reduce the budget of the OVP from the originally proposed P2 billion to P733 million came after Vice President Sara Duterte refused to defend its P2 billion proposal and the questions on budget use as well as the confidential funds.
