Your Honor, with all due respect, the PMA and PNPA budgets are not under the CHED, but included in the appropriations of the AFP/DND and PNP/DILG. I used to sponsor the AFP/DND budget in the Senate.
On the Signing of the 2025 Budget
Having vetoed only P26.065 billion from the P288-billion “congressional insertions”, mostly in the bicameral conference, the budget for education is still not “assigned the highest budgetary priority” contrary to Article XIV Sec 5(5) of the 1987 Constitution.
That being said, Malacañang may already be preparing for any constitutional challenge that may arise from this – both before the Supreme Court and the court of public opinion.
Related: On the Slash in the DepEd’s Budget
Ping: On the Palace’s Review of the Proposed 2025 Budget
In an interview on NET25, Ping Lacson answers questions on:
* Palace review of the 2025 budget
* Funds for education, PhilHealth, and AKAP
Continue reading “Ping: On the Palace’s Review of the Proposed 2025 Budget”
Reconvening the Bicam to Correct the Constitutional Issue in the 2025 Budget
While we respect the President’s sole authority whether or not to exercise his veto power on the recently legislated 2025 national budget, the Constitution, specifically Article XIV Sec 5 (5) is unequivocal in giving “education the highest budgetary priority.”
With that being said, in choosing not to veto, he can still correct this constitutional infirmity by appealing to Congress to reconvene the bicameral conference and rectify the budget imbalance between the education and infrastructure sectors and be compliant with the 1987 Constitution, while the Enrolled Bill is not yet submitted for his signature and approval.
I believe it will not take one whole day to do it.
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On the Slash in the DepEd’s Budget
Only the President can save the Constitution from becoming wastebasket-bound by exercising his line item veto power once the Enrolled Bill lands on his desk.
How so? The bicameral conference committee reduced the DepEd budget to P737 billion and increased that of the DPWH to P1.113 trillion.
This blatantly violates Art XIV Sec 5(5) which declares that “The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.”