Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero Speaks on Crafting of National Budget
CHIZ ESCUDERO – The Senate President claimed that the secretaries of the Marcos Cabinet allegedly ask for additional budget.
During his 4th State of the Nation Address or SONA 2025, Pres. Bongbong Marcos claimed that he will not approve budget proposals that are ‘misaligned’ with the plans of the government in the NEP or National Expenditure Program. According to him, he will return such proposals.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos also claimed that he can allegedly go as far as the country having a reenacted budget. His remarks elicited different reactions and the Senate President is one of those who was asked about it.
Prior to the Marcos 2025 SONA, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero was reelected in his position after getting 19 votes while Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto has 5 votes. Several senators previously claimed that they see no need for a change in leadership in the chamber.
On the remarks of Pres. Bongbong Marcos that he will not approve budget proposals that are not in line with the plans of the government, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero stressed that the Congress still has the “power of the purse”. According to him, the Congress should not just be a “rubber stamp” that will just bow to the proposals of the executive department.
Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero also stressed that the National Expenditure Program is allegedly not set on stone. Based on a report on GMA News, he stressed that the budget proposal comes not only from the executive department but as well as the Congress.
According to him, not because the proposed budget is drafted by the executive department, it is immediately correct. Furthermore, the Senate President also expressed that not because the budget proposal comes from the executive department, it does not mean that it should not be changed.
“Hindi naman porket binalangkas ng executive lahat ‘yun ay tama na. Hindi naman porket binalangkas ng executive lahat ‘yun ay hindi na pwedeng baguhin at tila nakaukit na sa bato,” Escudero said.
Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero also claimed that Cabinet secretaries of Pres. Bongbong Marcos allegedly ask the Congress for additional budget. Based on the report, he stressed that what should be changed must be changed.
“Ang marapat na dapat baguhin, dapat baguhin dahil ‘yung mga kalihim mismo ng Pangulo ay humihiling sa Kongreso ng dagdag o pagbabago sa kani-kanilang budget,” the Senate President said.
Escudero stressed that with the mandate of the President, he must also tell his Cabinet secretaries not to ask for additional fund once the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already submitted the proposal for their departments. Recently, Malacañang called on the Congress not to abuse the “power of the purse”.