President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has vetoed a bill that sought to amend the charter of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), expressing concerns that its provisions could conflict with existing laws and jeopardize the government’s fiscal position.
While acknowledging the good intentions behind the measure, President Marcos said he could not disregard the concerns raised by several national agencies.
In his veto message dated April 24 and transmitted to both chambers of Congress, the President outlined several key issues with the enrolled bill. Chief among these was the proposed increase of PhP100 billion in the BCDA’s authorized capital—a move he warned could undermine the government’s fiscal integrity.
He also objected to the provision allowing the BCDA to retain most of the proceeds from land sales in ecozones, saying it violates the government’s one-fund policy. This, he noted, would reduce the state’s flexibility to allocate resources to more urgent national priorities.
“In addition, the bill antithetically grants to the BCDA the authority to determine alienable and disposable lands, which falls under the mandate of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” Marcos stated.
The President further noted that the bill’s language regarding land ownership and disposal powers contradicts the Supreme Court’s ruling in Republic v. Heirs of Bernabe. That decision affirms the state’s beneficial ownership of lands transferred to the BCDA under Republic Act No. 7227.
