Several citizens’ groups raised alarm over alleged constitutional violations and questionable allocations in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), calling it “licensed to steal our dignity as Filipinos.”
In a press briefing on Friday evening, January 10, Citizens’ Budget Tracker Coordinator Kenneth Isaiah Ibasco Abante said the government failed to adhere to existing laws, particularly the Sin Tax Law and the Universal Health Care Law.
“The GAA cannot amend laws previously passed by Congress. They violated provisions requiring a certain percentage of revenues from sin products, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to be allocated for PhilHealth subsidies. Congress provided zero [budget],” Abante said.
He also called out Congress for allocating a smaller budget to education compared to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), a move he said contravenes the Constitution.
“Education is not afforded the highest budgetary priority,” he noted.
Inflated appropriations, alleged misuse
Abante flagged the bloating of unprogrammed appropriations beyond the budget ceiling set by the President. He also criticized programs like the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program and the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Program (MAIP) for violating the separation of powers.
“These programs require guarantee letters that, in practice, are approved by legislators. These payouts are used for political rallies,” Abante said.
Despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s veto of ₱26 billion in DPWH project insertions by Congress during the bicameral conference, Abante highlighted that ₱263 billion in DPWH projects remain.
“Given the recent flooding in Bicol and terrible road conditions for provincial travels, we did not feel the impact of hundreds of billions of pesos of taxes invested in public works,” he said.
He added that public transport projects remain underfunded, worsening traffic congestion nationwide.
Abante urged concerned citizens’ groups to take legal action.
“We can address this big pork barrel scandal if cases are filed before the Supreme Court for the 2025 budget constitutional violations,” he said.
He also criticized Congress for using unprogrammed appropriations to “maximize their pork” despite the President’s veto of over ₱100 billion in projects under this category.
According to him, the veto does not affect the total amount that can be reallocated this year.
The 2025 budget has sparked public debate over its adherence to constitutional and legal mandates, raising questions about transparency and accountability in public spending. (TCSP)
