Palace to submit 2023 budget on August 22

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is set to submit to Congress on Aug. 22 the proposed 2023 national budget, which is unlikely to be higher than this year’s P5.024-trillion outlay, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said yesterday.

The proposed expenditure program was discussed during a special Cabinet meeting called by President Marcos at Malacañang yesterday. Among those who attended the briefing was Marcos’ chief legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.

At a press briefing, Angeles said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) would submit the proposed 2023 General Appropriations Act next week.

“DBM is scheduled to submit the budget documents to the President on Aug. 19, not next week as mentioned earlier in the press briefing, and the same is expected to be submitted to Congress on Aug. 22,” Angeles said.

She said education would get the biggest chunk of the budget, as the Constitution requires.

“The same priorities hold true. The Constitution requires the biggest budgetary allocation for education. So, it’s still the same. It didn’t change much from last year,” she said.

“I would like to remind you that most of the budget was created by the last administration,” Angeles added.

When asked about the Marcos administration’s allocation for COVID-19 response, the press secretary replied: “We don’t have details as it is being fine-tuned.”

“The presentation was for today so that the secretaries can fine-tune the particular budgets. It will be finalized and then submitted to Congress next week,” she said.

Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez last week said the President was expected to convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) after his first State of the Nation Address.

LEDAC is composed of 20 members, including the President, Vice President, Senate President and House Speaker.