The House of Representatives has "called the Senate's bluff" on the 2021 national budget after completing their version of the all-important measure.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said this Monday after a fruitful meeting of the House small committee where the P4.506-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2021 was essentially finished at least as far as the House is concerned.
(Albay Rep. Joey Salceda's office / MANILA BULLETIN)
"We have called the bluff of the Senate. This is I think the fastest small group meeting ever in the history of this House of Representatives. Our job is done," Salceda, the Ways and Means Committee chairman, said in an impromptu press briefing.
Asked to elucidate, the Bicolano noted how senators were quick to predict a reenacted budget for next year due to the delay in the House budget proceedings. The delay was triggered by the House Speakership row, which has since been resolved.
"They're predicting a reenactment eh. So that presumes that a reenactment will be a result...sinasabi kaagad nila na hindi namin maayos ang House version (they were quick to say that we wouldn't be able to fix the House version). Ang sinasabi ko, ayan na tapos na ang House version. Kunin niyo na (What I'm saying is, the House version is finished. Come and get it)," Salceda said.
"The probably of reenactment is zero," he added.
The small committee member said a soft copy of the four-volume GAB could be forwarded to the Senate by Oct. 28 – a full eight days ahead of the original Nov. 5 deadline. Senate President Vicente Sotto III had earlier said that submitting the GAB on Nov. 5 would still result to a delayed budget.
Salceda credited Speaker Lord Allan Velasco's guidance for the quick action of the small committee which had been tasked to incorporate amendments to the budget measure in preparation for the bicameral conference committee meeting with senators.
Asked if he thinks the House has shamed the Senate with its early delivery of the budget, the former Appropriations Committee chairman said: "They're supposed to be our partners. We did our job. It shouldn't be a source of bewilderment if we also do our jobs. Velasco has delivered."