Davao City’s Third District Representative Isidro Ungab has raised concerns over the apparent inconsistencies in the computation of the Education Sector budget versus the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget in the recently signed 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA). Ungab’s remarks have reignited debates over adherence to the constitutional mandate prioritizing education as the sector with the highest budgetary allocation.
In a statement, Ungab pointed out that the computations presented by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) during the signing of the 2025 GAA did not align with previous listings detailing the Education Sector budget. “The Executive Department, through the DBM, submitted to Congress documents such as the National Expenditure Program (NEP), Budget of Expenditure and Sources of Financing (BESF), and the President’s Budget Message. These showed the Education Sector as a top recipient, but discrepancies have since emerged,” Ungab noted.
Budget Allocations in Question
According to Ungab, the approved 2025 GAA allocates the DPWH a total budget of ₹1.114 trillion, significantly higher than the Education Sector’s ₹984 billion. Even after the President’s direct veto of ₹26 billion, the DPWH retains a dominant ₹1.088 trillion allocation. In contrast, the Education Sector’s total remains lower despite constitutional provisions requiring the highest allocation for education.
Ungab also disputed the DBM’s practice of excluding convergence projects from the DPWH budget. “This exclusion is unfounded, as these projects have long been part of the DPWH budget,” he said. Furthermore, he criticized the inclusion of salary differentials as part of the Education Sector budget. Historically, these have been managed under the Miscellaneous Personnel and Benefit Funds (MPBF), a practice established before Ungab’s tenure in Congress.
Implications of New Computations
Ungab questioned whether the new computations were designed to circumvent the constitutional requirement prioritizing education. “Is this an attempt to make the figures appear compliant with the fundamental law?” he asked. He also flagged the adjustments made during the bicameral conference, which reduced the MPBF appropriation from ₹163.333 billion in the NEP to ₹109.128 billion. Of this amount, ₹70 billion was earmarked for salary adjustments, with ₹60.590 billion attributed to the Education Sector and ₹1.217 billion to the DPWH, leaving only ₹8.192 billion for all other government agencies.
“This is the first time we’ve seen such adjustments,” Ungab remarked. “Additional items are being included while others are excluded, altering the Education Sector’s budget calculations.”
Constitutional Concerns
Representative Ungab contended that based on his computations, the Education Sector budget did not receive the highest allocation, rendering the 2025 GAA potentially constitutionally infirm. He emphasized that only the ₹26 billion vetoed directly from the DPWH budget has been accounted for, while the ₹168 billion vetoed in unprogrammed appropriations remains unfunded.
Ungab’s assertions highlight the need for transparency and consistency in budget computations, particularly in sectors mandated by the Constitution to receive priority funding. With these concerns laid bare, the discussion now shifts to how the Executive and Legislative branches will address these discrepancies moving forward.