President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday approved the proposed P6.352-trillion budget for the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
During a cabinet meeting at Malacañan Palace, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman presented the proposed national budget prioritizing food security, social protection, healthcare, housing, disaster resilience, infrastructure, digital connectivity, and energy.
“You see a really good thing… Since I’ve seen it before on the macro level, I think the priorities in terms of our proposed appropriations, upon addressing it, weighted our priorities properly in terms of appropriations,” Mr. Marcos said.
Major recipients of government appropriations include the Department of Education (DepEd), state universities and colleges (SUCs), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the health sector, including PhilHealth.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of National Defense (DND) will also receive significant funding.
The budget allocates the largest share to maintenance and operating expenses, followed by personnel services, capital outlays, and financial costs.
The government evaluated the 2025 budget proposals based on fiscal space, readiness of programs, agency capacity, and alignment with the Budget Priorities Framework and PDP 2023-2028. Key considerations included the Public Investment Program (PIP), Three-Year Infrastructure Program (TRIP), Information Systems Strategic Plan (ISSP), and Program Convergence.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Marcos approves proposed P6.352-T national budget for 2025