Father Soc: Filipinos must scrutinize 2025 national budget
LINGAYEN-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas issued a strong pastoral commentary on January 14, urging Filipinos to critically evaluate the 2025 national budget.
He emphasized the moral implications of the budget, particularly concerning justice, public welfare, and the fair distribution of resources and called for greater vigilance and moral accountability, because “the national budget is not merely a financial document but a reflection of the nation’s commitment to justice, especially for the most vulnerable sectors of society.”
“As your Archbishop, I admonish you to study diligently, judge critically and act with vigilance on the moral concern of the 2025 national budget. It is a grave social matter,” he said as he quoted Psalm 118:9: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes,” underlining the need for leaders to prioritize the common good over personal or political gain.
A key portion of the archbishop’s critique was directed at the Bi-Cameral Conference Committee, which he argued had overstepped its constitutional role in shaping the final version of the budget.
“Regretfully, the Bi-Cameral Conference Committee is perceived by many to have acted as a clique of interested individuals who were not representative of popular concerns and interests,” he said.
He expressed concern that such concentrated power undermines democratic processes, where elected representatives of the people should have a more direct role in crafting a budget that truly reflects the needs of the population.
Drawing from the teachings of Gaudium et Spes from the Second Vatican Council, Archbishop Villegas emphasized that governance must involve broad participation and consensus to ensure genuine justice.
He warned that a budget created by a small group of individuals fails to reflect the values of a democratic society, where decisions must be made for the common good, not by a select few.
Another major concern raised by Villegas was the zero budget for PhilHealth, the country’s health insurance system despite PhilHealth’s role in ensuring universal health care. (Eva Visperas)
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