On Monday, September 16, House Speaker Martin Romualdez warned that the House would not tolerate officials who misuse the allocated funds for their respective government sectors.
The House plenary deliberation on the proposed Php6.352 national budget for 2025 was led by the House Speaker.
In his speech, Romualdez signaled that the House would take a ‘zero-tolerance approach’ toward officials who undermine accountability while conveniently ignoring their faults.
“We cannot ignore the reality that there are those who seek to undermine our work — critics who speak of accountability while conveniently ignoring their own misuse of public funds. To these individuals, I say, let us be clear: this chamber will not tolerate hypocrisy, nor will it stand idle in the face of such blatant disregard for public trust,” he warned.
He continued by stating that all government sectors will undergo the same process and that the House will demand full transparency from them. Moreover, he reinforced that public funds must only be used for the benefit of the people, not for one’s gain.
“This House answers to no one but the people. We will stand firm against pressure or influence, and we will guard every peso as if it were our own. The eyes of the nation are on us, and we will not fail them,” Romualdez said.
“As legislators, we are not only guardians of the national purse, but also stewards of the people’s trust. Every peso we allocate in this budget carries with it the sweat and sacrifice of millions of Filipinos, and it is our duty to ensure that these resources are spent wisely, effectively and with absolute accountability,” he added.
The House encourages officials to align the 2025 national budget according to the goals of the eight-point socioeconomic agenda and towards the manifestation of the 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan.
They are targeting to approve the 2025 budget during its third and final reading by September 25.
