Malacañang asks SC to revisit ruling on 2024, 2025 national budgets

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Malacañang on Wednesday said that it will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its recent ruling declaring as unconstitutional the General Appropriations Acts (GAAs) for 2024 and 2025 due to budget increases made by Congress.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro announced this in a press briefing, saying that Malacañang “respectfully disagrees” with certain parts of the high court’s ruling.

She said the Office of the Solicitor General has been tasked to file the motion for reconsideration.

“Ang inilatag na kondisyon ng Korte Suprema na dapat ay malagpasan muna ang kabuuang koleksyon sa kabuuang revenue target bago magamit ang unprogrammed appropriations, sa ating pananaw ay tahasang pagbabago ng mga kondisyong itinakda ng Kongreso bilang sangay ng pamahalaan na naatasan ng ating Konstitusyon na bumalangkas ng taunang pambansang budget,” Casto said.

“Magalang nating hinihiling sa Korte Suprema na muling suriin ang kanilang desisyon,” she added.

(We respectfully ask the Supreme Court to carefully review their decision.)

The Supreme Court said the 2024 budget was voided due to P449.5-billion increase in unprogrammed appropriations, while the 2025 GAA was likewise struck down because of the additional P17.99 billion for the Special Road Fund of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Both of these adjustments resulted in an increase in the president’s total recommended appropriations, the SC said.

As for the 2026 GAA, the high court deemed as unconstitutional Special Provisions 1(a) and (b), Chapter XLIII authorizing unprogrammed appropriations. It then set conditions that would allow such appropriations to be constitutional. — RSJ, GMA News