Philippines Supreme Court rules 2024 and 2025 budget laws unconstitutional
The Supreme Court declared the 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Acts unconstitutional after finding Congress added unauthorized appropriations.
On October 20, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that the 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Acts violate the constitution, citing Congress’s addition of P449.5 billion in unprogrammed appropriations and a P17.99 billion increase to the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Special Road Fund. Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen authored the opinion, which fully granted Edcel Lagman’s petition and partially granted Koko Pimentel’s challenge.
The court also upheld a petition by Filipinos for Peace, Justice and Progress Movement, Inc., declaring the 2025 budget law unconstitutional. While unprogrammed funds themselves are not per se invalid, the court warned they must have clear limits to preserve fiscal discipline. The doctrine of operative fact was applied, preserving the validity of irreversible programs but leaving officials exposed to criminal, civil, or administrative liability if they acted without good faith.
Why it matters
The ruling could reshape fiscal oversight and limit Congress’s ability to alter budget allocations without presidential approval.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the Supreme Court ruling the 2024 and 2025 budget laws unconstitutional and note the unprogrammed appropriations issue, but left-leaning coverage stresses congressional excess as “bloated” and an abuse of discretion, while centrist coverage focuses on the court’s action and the new limits it sets.
LEFT
Frames the decision as a rebuke of Congress for inflating unprogrammed funds and abusing discretion, highlighting the need for fiscal discipline.
CENTER
Frames the story as a factual report of the court striking down the budgets and establishing limits on unprogrammed appropriations.
The left emphasises
- "bloated" unprogrammed funds
- grave abuse of discretion
- clear limits to preserve fiscal discipline
In this story
