Jose Rodel Clapano – The Philippine Star
December 22, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget approved by the bicameral conference committee violated the Constitution for not giving the “highest budgetary priority” to the Department of Education (DepEd), the 1Sambayan coalition said yesterday.
In a statement, 1Sambayan urged President Marcos to convince Congress to reconvene the bicameral conference committee and correct the glaring anomalies in the proposed 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“(We at) 1Sambayan strongly condemn the two most glaring anomalies in the proposed 2025 GAA as approved by the bicameral conference committee. First is the violation of the Constitution which mandates: ‘The state shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education,’” 1Sambayan said.
The coalition also highlighted the absence of budgetary allocation for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) while criticizing the budget allocation of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
“The budget of DPWH is P363 billion more than the budget of DepEd… What is even more revolting is that while the proposed 2025 GAA increases the budget of DPWH by P213 billion to build more flood control projects, re-blocking of roads, rock netting, reflectorized signs and similar dubious public works, it effectively enables these projects to promote graft and corruption in government. These projects mostly constitute the politicians’ pork barrel projects from where they derive commissions of as much as 60 percent,” 1Sambayan said.
“The shocking absence of any budgetary allocation to PhilHealth is in violation of the Constitution which mandates on the matter of health: ‘There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children.’ The state shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers,” it added.
The group also condemned Congress’ move of not allowing PhilHealth to get its share from sin taxes, which must automatically be remitted to the state health insurer in accordance with law.
The proposed 2025 national budget gives the DPWH a budget of P1.1 trillion while giving only P737 billion to DepEd. The bicameral committee also rejected the P74.43-billion budget proposal of PhilHealth.
The coalition also criticized the increased budget of the legislative branch of the government, saying that it deprives the Armed Forces of the Philippines of modernizing its equipment, especially for strengthening the country’s defense in the West Philippine Sea, with the proposed budget for AFP modernization reduced by P15 billion from P50 billion.
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
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Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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