Windows26: Weekend Roundup: 2025 national budget, Bar exam results, and Sofronio Vasquez’s historic win

Hi, reader!

This week, we covered the bicam approval of the 2025 national budget, VP Duterte's fund controversies, and the 2024 Bar exam results. Other stories include Kanlaon's eruption, Pogo phaseout updates, and Sofronio Vasquez's historic win on 'The Voice' USA.

This is your Weekend Roundup, your weekly fix for everything you need to catch up.

2025 NATIONAL BUDGET

One signature away

The Bicameral Conference Committee has approved the committee report on the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025, which contains the reconciled and consolidated versions from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Members of the panel stood pat on their decision backing the move of the House to trim the spending plan of Vice President Sara Duterte's office next year by P1.3 billion on the heels of the congressional inquiry into her alleged misuse of hundreds of millions in confidential funds in 2023.

Apart from the Department of Public Works and Highways, several other government agencies were given an increase in the final version. However, the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and state universities and colleges faced reductions in their allotments.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will sign the 2025 national budget before December 25, the Presidential Communications Office said. "Following standard practice, the Congress-approved national budget bill will be transmitted to the Office of the President for review."

2024 BAR EXAMS

3,962 new lawyers

The 2024 Bar examination produced 3,962 new lawyers in the Philippines, with a passing rate of 37.84%. The Supreme Court announced the results of the country's fourth digitalized Bar exam on Friday, Dec. 13. Kyle Christian G. Tutor from the University of the Philippines topped the Bar with a score of 85.770%.

INQFOCUS

WPS, confidential funds

Our in-depth stories this week include Kurt Dela Peña's reports on China's acts of war in the West PH Sea accelerating ecological ruin, VP Duterte's public fund controversies sparking calls for transparency, and the grim human rights situation post-Duterte.