After a long break, senators resume regular session on Monday, Nov. 6 and will hold a caucus on the scheduling of budget debates so that they could pass pending bills and the proposed 2022 P5 trillion national budget before their Christmas break on December 16.
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said they would also take up pending bills such as the Public Services Act and Foreign Investment Act and pending reports of bicameral conferences for ratification.
Sotto said he expected Senator Juan Edgardo ‘’Sonny’’ M. Angara, chairman of the Senate Finance committee, to report out his committee’s recommendation on the proposed national budget after several sub-committees of his mother committee have undertaken public hearings on the proposed budgets of various departments and constitutional offices.
Sotto said the caucus among senators might be held on Monday or Tuesday to discuss their legislative agenda.
Included is a proposal that they take up the budget from Mondays to Thursdays and hold debates in the morning and afternoons.
Sotto said they might also discuss the feasibility of having budget hearings on Fridays.
On whether senators seeking higher positions or seeking reelections might be absent as they would be attending party matters or campaigning, Sotto said that is up to them.
‘’Di pa naman campaign period (It is not campaign period yet),’’ Sotto said, adding that he would not interfere in their invitations.
The official campaign period starts February 6.
Sotto is vice presidential candidate of presidential aspirant, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Partido Reporma chairman.
In so far as he is concerned, Sotto said people would see who among the candidates are still working.
The best campaign is work, he added.