CE calls for budget proposals to prepare LAG2025

The Chief Executive (CE), Ho Iat Seng, has published the guidelines and schedule for the submission of 2025 budget proposals from all public services and departments in the government’s official gazette.

According to the publication, the aim is to prepare the policy address, including the government’s annual budget, for the year 2025 (LAG2025).

The guidelines note that all government departments and services need to submit their budget proposals to the Financial Services Bureau (DSF), as well as any justifications and activity plans, by July 1 at the latest.
After analysis and studies related to the forecast revenues, the DSF will respond to each applicant department and service, informing them of their final budget allocations so that they may prepare final documentation, which the CE shall receive before October 7.

The CE dispatch also notes that all the expenses related to staff (namely, wages) should be calculated based on current salaries, since there has been no news of potential adjustments to civil servant salaries in 2025.

The dispatch requires, since this year is Ho’s last term as CE, that all departments and services carefully annunciate their budget statements, according to both their basic needs and the fulfillment of those commitments they have already undertaken, especially if they extend beyond the present CE term.

Although the date for the election of the CE for a sixth term has not been scheduled yet, it will likely occur before the end of the year, around the time that the LAG2025 needs to be prepared for the Legislative Assembly

So far and for the first four terms of the CE in Macau, both the former CEs Edmund Ho and Chui Sai On have taken two terms each, totaling 10-year cycles apiece at the helm of the local government.

So far, Ho Iat Seng has not yet expressed his intention to run for a second term, and no one else has announced intentions to run for the post. Either way, the LAG2025 will be the first of a new CE term and will be presented by the new Macau CE.RM