The leadership of the House of Representatives intends to approve the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022 when political season starts to heat up which will be at the last day of the filing of the certificates of candidacies (COCs) in October, 2021.
Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez said Speaker Lord Allan Velasco wants the Lower House to pass 2022 General Appropriations Bill before the nation’s concentration shifts to next year’s presidential polls.
Romualdez said on Sunday, July 25 that he expects most of the major concerns in the budget bill to focus at financing a sustained campaign against the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“With the expiration of Bayanihan 2, I am anticipating that most of the concerns in our defeat COVID-19 campaign will be included in the 2022 national budget that we are about to receive after the final SONA (State of the Nation Address) of President Duterte,” Romualdez, said.
He added: “We will work hard to pass the 2022 national budget before the deadline of the filing of COCs.” The veteran administration solon said the Lower House “will take advantage of the technology” to deliberate on the proposed budget measure.
‘ Acting on instructions from Velasco, Romualdez said they will prioritize the approval of five bills earlier identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
These include the proposed Philippine Virology Institute Act, Center for Disease Control Act, Amendments to the Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016, Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act, and National Housing Development Act.
Romualdez said other related anti-COVID bills pending in various committees that the House of Representatives will pursue its approval are the Bisekleta para sa Kinabukasan Act, Online Registration of Voters, Accelerating Public Sector Investments in Local Infrastructure or Local Build, Build, Build Program, amendments to the Government Procurement Act, among other measures.
“The House leadership has shown resiliency amidst adversity. The institution has worked efficiently to ensure the timely passage of the 2021 national budget and will work again on the swift approval of the 2022 national budget,” Romualdez said.