MANILA, Philippines — The Senate approved the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on third and final reading with 18 votes in favor, none against, and one abstention.
The government’s proposed budget for 2025 is pegged at P6.352 trillion, a 10 percent increase from this year’s budget of P5.768 trillion.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd was the only senator who abstained from voting on the passage of the 2025 GAB.
Committee on Finance Chairman Grace Poe said that the increased funds focused on programs for education, military modernization, calamity fund, agriculture, housing, hiring additional personnel in the PAOCC, funds for the Association of Southeast Asian (Asean) Summit 2026, economic tourism, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), and others.
The final Senate-approved version includes the reduced funding for the Office of the Vice President from the original financing proposed of P2.03 billion to P733 million.
Meanwhile, the Senate removed the P39 billion allocation for the controversial Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) mainly because no funds were allocated based on Malacañang’s original proposal under the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
According to Senator Poe, the funding for OVP and AKAP will be finally determined only after it is submitted to the bicameral conference committee.
Poe described the budget as “the blueprint of our priorities and the heartbeat of our nation’s future” and not just a series of numbers in the spreadsheet.
She thanked colleagues and the staff who worked tirelessly, “burning the midnight oil on many occasions” to pass the budget on time. “This budget stands as a testament to our shared vision of a nation that prioritizes its people, a government that listens, and a Senate that delivers,” Poe said.
Along with approving the P6.352 trillion 2025 GAB, the Senate has formed a panel for the bicameral conference committee, with Poe as its chairman. Members of the Senate panel for the bicam include Senate President Chiz Escudero, Senate President pro-tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Senate Majority leader Francis Tolentino, Senate Minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III, as well as Senators Cynthia Villar, Ronald dela Rosa, Pia Cayetano, Sherwin Gatchalian, Bong Go, Loren Legarda, Risa Hontiveros, Imee Marcos, Joel Villanueva, Migz Zubiri, Mark Villar and JV Ejercito.
