House to pass 2019 P3.757-trillion national budget next week
Published Nov 18, 2018 03:05 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
The House of Representatives is set to pass the proposed 2019 P3.757-trillion national budget on third and final reading on November 28.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Compostela Valley Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora, the main plenary sponsor of the national budget and a member of the "small committee” tasked to scrutinize the amendments to House Bill 8169 or the national budget, said they are in the "final stages" of hammering out the provisions of the spending bill.
“We’re in the final stages of reconciling differences and amendments to the budget, and after that we need to get the budget printed. Our target for third reading is on November 28,” she said.
Zamora, senior vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, conceded that they will not be able to pass the national budget on third and final reading this week.
“Unfortunately, we’re still quite in the thick of the amendments. Due to the volume of the amendments requested and agreed upon during the debates over HB No. 8169 alone, combined with the different agencies’ concerns, we’re still going through items,” she said.
She reassured that they are flexing their muscles to ensure the timely passage of the national budget, ready for the signature of President Duterte before the end of the year.
“The small committee has been working with the secretariat day in and out but it’s really a consuming process. Rest assured that we will pass the national budget in time for next year,” Zamora said.
Former president and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier assured that there would not be a reenacted budget next year.
House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando “Nonoy” Andaya Jr. also expressed the Lower Chamber's assurance that the 2019 national budget bill will be transmitted to the Senate "as soon as we are done with our rigorous double-checking and verification of the thousands of line items in a spending measure that will cost taxpayers almost P3.8-trillion."
“We believe that we all have sufficient time in our legislative calendar to pass the budget and send it to President Duterte before the end of the year. We are reiterating our strong position against a reenacted budget because such will be hard to implement, will constrict spending, and will give wide latitude and discretion to the Executive on what projects to implement,” he said.
The plenary debates on the budget measure were delayed after the alleged P52-billion insertions by former House leadership were uncovered. The supposed insertions were intended for specific legislative districts of some congressmen.
The House of Representatives, via a viva voce vote, approved House Bill 8169 or the spending bill on second reading on October 10.
The supposed insertions were realigned to the following items: P5 billion as additional National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund for the rehabilitation of areas badly hit by typhoon Ompong, especially Cagayan Valley; P3 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (DOH); P3 billion for the DOH’s Health Human Resources Development “to stave off the mass layoff of 6,000 nurses, and doctors and dentists as well”; P1.2 billion for the Capital Outlay of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs); P3 billion for Technical-Vocational Laboratories under the Department of Education; P11 billion for roads to decongest traffic in urban areas; P10 billion for roads for identified tourism areas; another P10 billion for roads to trade areas, economic zones, livelihood centers and markets; and P5 billion for the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) farm-to-market roads (FMRs).
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Compostela Valley Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora, the main plenary sponsor of the national budget and a member of the "small committee” tasked to scrutinize the amendments to House Bill 8169 or the national budget, said they are in the "final stages" of hammering out the provisions of the spending bill.
“We’re in the final stages of reconciling differences and amendments to the budget, and after that we need to get the budget printed. Our target for third reading is on November 28,” she said.
Zamora, senior vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, conceded that they will not be able to pass the national budget on third and final reading this week.
“Unfortunately, we’re still quite in the thick of the amendments. Due to the volume of the amendments requested and agreed upon during the debates over HB No. 8169 alone, combined with the different agencies’ concerns, we’re still going through items,” she said.
She reassured that they are flexing their muscles to ensure the timely passage of the national budget, ready for the signature of President Duterte before the end of the year.
“The small committee has been working with the secretariat day in and out but it’s really a consuming process. Rest assured that we will pass the national budget in time for next year,” Zamora said.
Former president and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier assured that there would not be a reenacted budget next year.
House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando “Nonoy” Andaya Jr. also expressed the Lower Chamber's assurance that the 2019 national budget bill will be transmitted to the Senate "as soon as we are done with our rigorous double-checking and verification of the thousands of line items in a spending measure that will cost taxpayers almost P3.8-trillion."
“We believe that we all have sufficient time in our legislative calendar to pass the budget and send it to President Duterte before the end of the year. We are reiterating our strong position against a reenacted budget because such will be hard to implement, will constrict spending, and will give wide latitude and discretion to the Executive on what projects to implement,” he said.
The plenary debates on the budget measure were delayed after the alleged P52-billion insertions by former House leadership were uncovered. The supposed insertions were intended for specific legislative districts of some congressmen.
The House of Representatives, via a viva voce vote, approved House Bill 8169 or the spending bill on second reading on October 10.
The supposed insertions were realigned to the following items: P5 billion as additional National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund for the rehabilitation of areas badly hit by typhoon Ompong, especially Cagayan Valley; P3 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (DOH); P3 billion for the DOH’s Health Human Resources Development “to stave off the mass layoff of 6,000 nurses, and doctors and dentists as well”; P1.2 billion for the Capital Outlay of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs); P3 billion for Technical-Vocational Laboratories under the Department of Education; P11 billion for roads to decongest traffic in urban areas; P10 billion for roads for identified tourism areas; another P10 billion for roads to trade areas, economic zones, livelihood centers and markets; and P5 billion for the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) farm-to-market roads (FMRs).