Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin assured the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2025 was thoroughly scrutinized by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. before it was signed by the Chief Executive on Monday.
In a press conference in Malacanang after the signing of the national budget, Bersamin said the President is very focused and very prudent on deciding over the national budget.
“Mabusisi si Presidente mula sa umpisa. I can give you that assurance that the President is very focused, very prudent — Ilocano, eh,” Bersamin told reporters when asked how perusing the President can be.
“And I am quite happy to make that note, because he always says “what do we do with this? This is something that we cannot allow yet because we have lack of funds, etc.” So that is what motivates him,” he added.
President Marcos signed into law the national budget for 2025 but vetoed PhP194 billion worth of projects inconsistent with the administration’s programmed priorities.
In his speech, the President said he directly vetoed provisions not responsive to the peoples’ needs. Condition implementation on certain items was also pursued to ensure public funds are utilized according to authorized purposes, he added.
Bersamin expressed his full trust on the decisions made by the President who, according to the Executive Secretary, takes his job very seriously.
“Maybe we people don’t see how he works but he works very much way to the night and early morning,” he explained. (PND)
