The Marcos regime has filed a budget proposal for the year 2025 this July 29. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) submitted to Congress the proposed ₱6.352 trillion budget, which is 10.1% higher than the 2024 budget. While its details have not been made public, questions on where to source the funds have already risen.

According to state statistics, the proposed budget exceeds the expected tax collection. Revenues are projected to reach ₱4.64 trillion next year, while its expenditures is pegged at ₱6.182 trillion. The budget deficit is projected at ₱1.537 trillion.

As in the past, this will mean even bigger state borrowing. The Philippine government’s debt stands at ₱15.35 trillion as of the end of May–equivalent to 60.2% of GDP.

It will also mean the continued imposition of taxes that have burdened the people, including excise taxes on petroleum products and value-added taxes on basic food products.

Despite the Department of Finance secretary’s lip service that the Marcos regime will not impose new taxes, there are actually several proposals lined up in Congress for this. This includes a tax on “single-use plastics” that are widely used in shops and markets. Another is the additional tax on mining, which may hike the bill for electricity and other services provided by the sector. Also, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has just imposed a tax on online sellers, small and large, which they will certainly pass on to consumers.

In Congress, the head of the ways and means committee, Joey Salceda, is pushing for the resumption of reclamation projects in Manila Bay. This disregards the fact that intensified reclamation projects that blocked the whole of Manila’s waterways flooded many areas in Metro Manila. He even insisted that he “sees no reason why these projects will not be allowed again” as these will generate ₱432 billion in state revenue.

Meanwhile, Kalikasan PNE and Kadamay members staged a “kalampagan” or noise barrage before the Department of Environment and Natural Resources today, July 29, to condemn the Marcos regime for its negligence in responding to the victims of typhoon Carina.

“Marcos Jr. administration must be held accountable for its role in permitting environmentally destructive projects resulting in millions displaced through flooding,” Kalikasan said.