Mmegi

Gov’t to revise spending as H1 wraps up

Round the clock: Technocrats at the Finance Ministry are hard at work tracking spending patterns and making forecasts ahead of the second half of the financial year
Round the clock: Technocrats at the Finance Ministry are hard at work tracking spending patterns and making forecasts ahead of the second half of the financial year

The Finance ministry is working on the inaugural mid-term budget review, with expectations that the initial P97.6 billion in planned spending will be cut back for the second half of the financial year.

At the time of the original 2025–2026 budget speech in February, government expected revenues to reach P75.5 billion, with minerals contributing P15.8 billion or about 21%. The budget was due to carry a deficit of P22.1 billion or 7.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

However, the eagerly awaited recovery from the prolonged downturn in diamonds has not happened, with the United States' global tariffs adding greater uncertainty to the economically key sector.

Editor's Comment
Consult, get buy-ins first for 6 to 6 policy, Hon Minister

While the minister is of the view that the proposal would have significant positive economic impact, the entertainment industry players believe otherwise. The issue has over the weeks become a hot potato. But what is of essence right now is that the country needs liberal ideas to move in the right direction While opening up the economy may sound quite interesting to the ear, rolling out extended trading hours through pilot programmes without...

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