Photo: Sen. Imee Marcos

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Imee Marcos on Thursday pleaded to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to not let President Marcos Jr. sign the proposed 2025 national funding – a “very very bad budget” given the controversies hounding its appropriations. 

“Kaya mas nanawagan ako, mas kabisado niya [Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin] yung ating Konstitusyon, ‘wag naman ninyong ipahamak ‘yung aking kapatid. ‘Wag naman ninyong ipapasok at pipiliting pipirmahan ‘yung alanganin,” she said in the Kapihan sa Senado forum. 

The senator made her remarks after the Palace announced the deferment of the signing of the budget that is still being personally assessed by the President. Bersamin earlier said that some items and provisions will surely be vetoed by the President in the interest of public welfare.  

Imee however believes the gaffes in the budget are too concerning that it needs full revisiting instead of a line-by-line veto fix. 

This is why she suggested recommitting the entire GAB back to Congress for review in another bicameral committee conference as seen done in other laws. 

“Hindi sapat ang line item veto dahil malalim at matindi ang mga problema ng very bad budget na ito. Pag line item veto pa lamang, masasagot ba ang mga issues tungkol sa Konstitusyon, sa paglalabag sa Korte Suprema, sa tutol sa iba’t-bang batas at higit sa lahat sa pangangailangan ng sambayanan,” she said. 

“Hindi kaya sa line item veto, ang daming problema talaga, malalim at masalimuot” she said. 

Citing for example what happened in the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and the Magna Carta for Seafarers Act which went back to the bicameral conference for further revisions despite finality. 

The senator fears that the consequence of budget cuts and supposed misallocation is making the Filipino people resort to mendicity. 

“Kung inagaw ‘yung  pera ng nararapat aba eh inagaw din ang dignidad at ang dangal ng Pilipino kasi sa bawat sandali luluhod ka eh, pipila ka eh, magmamalimos ka para lang kumuha ng tulong hindi naman tama yung ganon,” she said. 

Marcos thumbs down budget return to bicam 

President Marcos however had already shot down the possibility of reconvening the bicameral conference to fix the issues on the budget. 

“Hindi… Wala sa procedure ‘yan. There is no procedure to return it to the bicam. It’s finished already in the House, it’s finished already in the—it’s finished in Congress. Tapos na,” he said in an interview. 

Lawmakers on Wednesday said they respect the President’s decision to defer the signing of the budget calling it a “healthy democracy.” 

Among the controversial items in the 2025 budget bill include a P12 billion decrease in education funding, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. ‘s zero subsidy for 2025 and the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program funded by the bicameral conference committee with over P26 billion.