Budget Betrayal

By Herman M. Lagon

We view the national budget as more than a technical document. It shows the government’s priorities and dedication to the people. As we approach the 2025 budget approval, it feels more like a betrayal than progress. Although inflation is high and many are struggling to make ends meet, this budget cuts funding for education, healthcare, and infrastructure, which could help people escape poverty. How is this justified?

Imagine working hard every day as a parent hoping your children will have better educational opportunities. Instead of funding those dreams, the government cuts billions from education. These cuts are disappointing and betray every child who hopes to improve their future through education.

Not just education suffers. Healthcare—the foundation of any society—has also suffered. We depend on PhilHealth for medical emergencies, but the government has frozen its funds. The act is life-threatening, not neglect. How many will have to choose between food and medicine? This directly threatens Filipinos who need healthcare the most.

Another program, “Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program” (AKAP), was meant to help the most vulnerable. Instead, it is used for politics. With P26 billion, the government prefers spending money on votes over education and health. Instead of charity, it is clearly a political move to win votes at the expense of our future.

The cuts to essential services are devastating. Transportation projects that could reduce traffic and ease commuting were canceled while lawmakers protected their pet projects. The message is clear: political elite power and wealth trump our countrymen’s well-being. Consider Congress’s P19 billion budget increase. Politicians enrich themselves while the nation suffers.

This budget not only fails but also indicates a broken system. The government prioritizes short-term fixes like cash transfers over long-term investments needed to lift people out of poverty. Poor people get enough to survive but not thrive. This approach keeps people dependent on the government rather than empowering them.

The silence surrounding this betrayal is worse. Taking the cue from Justice Antonio Carpio, we ask: Why not demand better? Why don’t we hold leaders accountable? Our silence lets them serve themselves instead of the people. We lose our future every time we stay silent.

But change is still possible. We can still demand better. Together, we can demand a budget that meets Filipino needs. We must speak out and act to save our nation’s future. Education, health, and infrastructure should be prioritized in the budget.

The 2025 budget slaps every Filipino who hopes for a better future. But it need not define our future. The fight just started. We can change the world if we speak up and demand our future.

The real question is how we react. Will we accept this betrayal or demand accountability? Take back the future. Take action now.

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a ‘student of and for life’ who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world that is grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views herewith do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.