DBM: Gov’t’s P1.307-T budget for Q4 2025 to boost PH economy

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday said the government has about P1.307 trillion of programmed spending for the three remaining months of 2025.

“Our programmed spending for the fourth quarter will boost year-end economic growth and thus impact overall economic growth for the year,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

The DBM said the bulk of the fourth quarter budget amount will be used primarily for social services following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure that spending for the final stretch of 2025 will directly benefit the Filipino people.

In a statement on Thursday, Malacañang said Marcos ordered the release of the P1.307 trillion in programmed funds for the last quarter of 2025 “to support disaster relief, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts for communities affected by recent calamities.”

As of October 27, the DBM said it has already released Notices of Cash Allocations (NCAs) amounting to P1.133 trillion out of the P1.307 trillion programmed spending for the fourth quarter.

This includes P2.74 billion for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) which covers the Quick Response Fund (QRF) replenishment and Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT), in anticipation of possible typhoons in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the funds released to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are primarily earmarked to cover major social protection commitments.

This includes the balance for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) amounting to P9.52 billion, which provides conditional cash transfers to qualified beneficiaries. 

In addition, the DBM released P7.03 billion for payouts for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program and P5.77 billion for the social pension benefits for indigent senior citizens. 

Another P4.83 billion was released for the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) program to support vulnerable sectors. 

Under the Department of Agriculture (DA), P7.33 billion was released for the National Rice Program and P2.47 billion for the National Livestock Program.

Another P2.29 billion is also available under the National Food Authority (NFA) for the buffer stocking program and targeted rice distribution program to ensure the availability of rice, especially in case of unforeseen domestic and global headwinds.

The fourth quarter releases for the Department of Education (DepEd) included allocations for Personnel Services totaling P153.71 billion that will cover the year-end benefits of teachers and personnel including their year-end bonuses; and P11.4 billion for the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) adjustments.

The DBM added that P23.62 billion was released for the operations of schools, while P32.79 billion was earmarked for Government Assistance and Subsidies.

On top of this, the DBM said it released P31.78 billion to State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in support of the implementation of key higher education programs such as the Free Higher Education (FHE) and Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES).

This amount will also fund the personnel benefits and requirements of SUCs, in consideration of the sustained implementation of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act and the overall delivery of quality higher education services across regions.

The DBM also released P4.89 billion to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to support the continued implementation of livelihood and emergency employment programs, including the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) Program, Government Internship Program (GIP), DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), and the Adjustment Measures Program (AMP).

This is to generate immediate employment, support income recovery, and enhance livelihood opportunities for vulnerable sectors.

For the continued delivery of essential health services across the country, P4.3 billion was released to the Department of Health (DOH) for the support of operational expenses of hospitals in Metro Manila and P9.96 billion for regional hospitals. 

Another P787.95 million was released for subsidies under the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and P179 million for the Cancer Assistance Fund for continued assistance to reduce the financial burden of patients seeking medical treatment.

For the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), P528.09 million was earmarked for prgrams such as the OFW Hospital, the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailan (AKSYON) Fund, and the National Reintegration Center for OFWS (NRCO), with P321 million of this fund allotted for the Emergency Repatriation Program of the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA)

Finally, government employees, including teachers, will receive year-end benefits as included in the 2025 General Appropriations Act totaling P63.7 billion. — JMA, GMA Integrated News