On Thursday, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa spoke out about blank entries he discovered in the bicameral conference committee report on the 2025 national budget. This report is an important document that finalizes the country’s budget, after the Senate and House of Representatives agree on it.
What Dela Rosa Found in the Report
In an interview with GMA Integrated News, Dela Rosa explained that he and other senators received the report the same day it was signed. Upon reviewing it, he noticed that some sections were completely blank.
“On the same day it was signed, we were given a soft copy. That’s when we saw that there were indeed blanks,” he said.
He clarified that the General Appropriations Act (GAA), which includes the full budget, is always completed before being released, but the bicam report had missing information in some parts. For example, the budget for the Department of Agriculture had blank spots, even though the total amount was listed.
Concerns Raised by Other Senators
Dela Rosa is not the only one who raised concerns about the missing items. Senator Imee Marcos also spoke about the blank sections in the report. She was present in the discussions but was not there during the signing of the document. She expressed shock, saying, “It’s surprising that the bicam report had blank amounts.”
More Discrepancies?
Former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab also questioned the report, mentioning missing budget details for the Department of Agriculture and some other appropriations. They pointed out that these blank items couldn’t simply be mistakes, like typos or printing errors.
Duterte warned that anyone tampering with the budget could face legal consequences, even criminal charges. He emphasized that the budget should not be released with empty sections waiting to be filled later.
President Marcos Responds
In response, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. denied Duterte’s claims, calling them untrue. Malacañang, the president’s office, dismissed the accusations, saying they were criminal in nature.
Senate President Denies Blank Items
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who signed the report, also denied that there were any blank sections. He said, “There were no blanks. It’s not true that Congress gave a blank check. That’s a lie.”
What Does This Mean?
These accusations about the budget report are causing a stir in the government, with some officials claiming mistakes and others defending the process. The missing items are raising questions about how carefully the budget was reviewed and whether it was properly filled out before being signed. The public will be closely watching how this issue develops.
