President Marcos on Wednesday, Sept. 20, certified the “necessity of the immediate enactment” of House Bill (HB) No. 8980, which is the 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the P5.768-trillion proposed national budget for 2024.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed to Palace reporters that Marcos certified the 2024 budget bill as “urgent”.

In a message addressed to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and read to members of the House of Representatives on the second day of the plenary deliberations of next year’s proposed budget, Marcos underscored the need for the bill to pass to ensure the continuity of government operations.

Citing the provisions of Article 6, Section 26 (2) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Marcos certified “the necessity of the immediate enactment” of HB 8980.

This is “in order to address the need to maintain continuous government operations following the end of the current fiscal year (FY), to expedite the funding of various programs, projects, and activities for FY 2024, and to ensure budgetary preparedness that will enable the government to effectively perform its Constitutional mandate,” the Chief Executive added.

A copy of the certification was also sent to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza.

The certification allows Congress to forego of the three-session day requirement before bills approved on the second reading can be considered for third reading.

Lawmakers would have until Sept. 29, the last session day, to debate on the proposed budget as the bill can be approved for the second and third reading on the same day.

But House committee on appropriations officials, particularly chairperson and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and senior vice chair and Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo, vowed to pass the bill by Sept. 27.