Senator Panfilo M. Lacson on Saturday, Sept. 26, said the proposed 2021 P4.5 trillion national budget must be approved by the end of the year to avoid a re-enacted budget for the next fiscal year.
“Malamang ma-approve na yan. Kasi we cannot afford a reenacted budget lalo sa ganitong panahon. Although maraming mga issues na napagusapan na rin natin tungkol sa budget, pero I think by and large ay maiayos naman ang budget,’’ Lacson said during a DWIZ radio interview. (It is likely that it will be approved. We cannot afford a re-enacted budget during the current health crisis. We have discussed many issues in the budget, I think by and large we will be able to shape an acceptable budget),’’ he added.
But Lacson foresees a ‘’bloody’’ fight over lump sum appropriations, sometimes called ‘’pork barrel,’’ when senators and congressmen try to iron out their differing versions of the budget through the bicameral conference committee process.
The Senate panel, according to Lacson, is likely to raise questions over P396 billion of “lump sum’’appropriations.
This followed a statement by a House leader that they did not touch the National Expenditure Program (NEP), the mother of the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA or national budget).
Lacson said he is already telegraphing to his House colleagues on what he would do to excise the lump sum appropriation.
He said they have a list of lump sums such as preventive maintenance, tertiary roads, secondary roads, among others.
Lacson pointed out that it is the Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) that would re-align the lump sums.