MANILA – Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva have firmly rejected claims of ‘blank items’ in the proposed 2025 national budget, emphasizing that the document was subjected to a detailed review process before being signed off. In a recent ambush interview, Gatchalian explained that the Senate’s staff, committee chairpersons, and lawmakers diligently examined all annexes and attachments to ensure the budget’s balance. He stated, ‘We sign the front page, but our staff reviews all the annexes and attachments. The chairman also reviews them before finalization. A blank item would disrupt the balance, which is essential for the budget.’ Gatchalian further assured that neither he nor his team encountered any blank sections, as maintaining balance is a priority. Villanueva, who also signed the bicameral conference committee report, confirmed that the document was complete, with no blank spaces. He remarked, ‘As a bicam member, everything was included. I saw no blanks whatsoever.’ Villanueva added that it would be highly unlikely for a law with blank items to be passed, as it would not tally correctly. These statements from the senators were in response to allegations by former president Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab, who claimed that 13 pages of the budget contained blank appropriations, hinting at a ‘blank check’ scheme for future allocations. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. refuted these claims, labeling them as ‘lies’ and confirming that the budget underwent meticulous review with every item clearly defined.
Senators Deny Allegations of Blank Items in 2025 Budget, Affirm Thorough Review
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