Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Saturday said the 2025 national budget is “the worst” in the history of the Philippines as it has not followed what is stated in the Constitution that the education sector shall have the biggest allocation in budget.
“Number one, yung sabi ng Constitution, dapat ang edukasyon, education sector ang makakatanggap ng napakalaking portion ng national budget. Pero lumabas after Bicam (Bicameral Conference Committee) na binawasan pa ang edukasyon, at pinalaki ang DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) budget,” dela Rosa told the media.
Last week, Davao City Third District Representative Isidro Ungab questioned the alleged inconsistent computation on the budget for the education sector vis a vis the budget for DPWH in the recently signed 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Ungab alleged that the computation made by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) during the signing of the 2025 GAA is inconsistent with the previous listings that comprise the education sector.
Dela Rosa affirmed there was a violation in the Consitution by Congress in allocating the budget.
“Talagang na-violate yung Constitution. Ne-repair nila, inayos nila bago pinirmahan ng Pangulo, pinalabas nila na mas malaki na ngayon ang education sector, dahil sa ina-rearrange nila kuno. Meron silang mga vineto, at na re-arrange. Yung lumabas ngayon malaki na daw para sa education sector,” dela Rosa added.
In December last year, Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of the First District of Zambales assured that the education sector’s budget was higher than the DPWH’s by P22 billion.
Khonghun also said the total education budget is P1.055 trillion, while the DPWH is P1.033 trillion for 2025.
“But then if you are going to scrutinize it again, lumaki ang education sector kasi pati yung pondo mula training fund, education fund ng DND (Department of National Defense), yung mga training ng units ng AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), nilagay doon, education daw yun, when in fact, justification ko diyan is defense sector yan,” dela Rosa said.
