Rep. Stella Quimbo, acting chairperson of the House Appropriations Committee, clarifies that the P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 is complete and lawful, addressing claims of 'blank budget' items and emphasizing the budget's validity and enforceability.
The P6.352-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) or national budget for 2025 is complete and lawful, House Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo said. Quimbo made this statement on Monday, January 27, while addressing controversies surrounding the budget. She emphasized the budget's legality and validity, stating that the enrolled General Appropriations Bill (GAB) contains no blank allocations among its over 235,000 line items.
Quimbo also highlighted the authorization given to the technical secretariats of both the Senate and the House of Representatives to implement corrections and adjustments, assuring that these do not compromise the budget's integrity or legality. This clarification comes in response to claims made by former president Rodrigo Duterte, a critic of the Marcos administration, who alleged the existence of a 'blank budget.' Quimbo, the most senior member of the appropriations panel, assumed the role of acting chairperson after Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co's resignation on January 13.She dismissed suggestions of impropriety as unfounded and politically motivated, urging a focus on addressing pressing national challenges rather than fabricating controversies. Several lawmakers, including Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, and Davao City 3rd district Rep. Isidro Ungab, had raised concerns about the presence of blank items in the bicameral report on the 2025 budget. Manuel claimed to have identified 12 blank items affecting agriculture-related programs, activities, and projects, as well as unprogrammed appropriations. Quimbo's statement aims to quell these concerns and reaffirm the budget's soundness and legality
BUDGET GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STELLA QUIMBO BLANK BUDGET 2025 BUDGET CONTROVERSY
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