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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bicam to tackle few major differences in 2025 budget

Bicam to tackle few major differences in 2025 budget

Published Dec 2, 2024 05:36 am

Only a few major differences will be tacked by the bicameral conference committee on disagreeing provisions of the 2025 budget according to Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Grace Poe.

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Sen. Grace L. Poe delivers her opening remarks as the head of Senate panel and chairperson of the Committee on Finance during the bicameral conference meeting on the disagreeing provisions of the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget on Thursday, Nov. 28.

The bicam officially opened on Thursday, Nov. 28. A technical working group (TWG) was assigned to discuss the major disparities.

"Sa ngayon, magco-convene ang technical working group composed of representatives from House and the Senate — usually mga secretariat. Tapos doon natin marereconcile yung mga pagkakaiba. Actually kaunti lang naman yung mga major na pagkakaiba roon eh (Currently, the technical working group, made up of representatives from the House and the Senate—usually the secretariat—will convene. It is there that we will reconcile the differences. In fact, there are only a few major differences to address)," Poe said in a chance interview.

"Nagkapareho naman kami sa iba’t ibang inisyatibo rin so sa ngayon hintayin na lang natin kung ano yung magiging pagkakaiba kasi syempre babanggain yung dalawa eh (We are aligned on various initiatives, so for now, let's just wait and see what the differences will be, as the two will inevitably be compared)," she added.

She mentioned for example, the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) which was reverted to the National Expenditure Program (NEP) level. The P39.8-billion AKAP was not part of the 2025 NEP but was inserted by the House in its version of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Poe said that the TWG is set to begin in two days.

Present from the part of the Senate were Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Juan Miguel Zubiri, JV Ejercito, Francis Tolentino, Jinggoy Estrada, Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Grace Poe, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel, Risa Hontiveros, Cynthia Villar, Joel Villanueva, Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, Imee Marcos, Christopher "Bong" Go, and Mark Villar.

Poe told their House colleagues that while they have differing opinions, "I have nothing but respect for the work you’ve done to get us here."

"Mukhang marami pa tayong trabaho pero malapit nang mag-Pasko. (We seem to have a lot more on our plate but Christmas is near). So, let’s get to it. Let’s debate, deliberate, and decide, but always keeping in mind the millions of Filipinos counting on us to get this right," she addded.

Escudero said while this is a long and complicated task, he expects that this would be finished before the upper chamber's takes its Christmas break.

"Bago tayo mag-adjourn para sa Christmas break ito ay matatapos, mapagtitibat ng magkabilang conference panrl at maibibigay sa Pangulo bago mag-Pasko para kanyang mareview at mapagtibay ito bago pumasok ang darating na taon (Before we adjourn for Christmas break, this will be completed by both conference panela and submitted to the President for his review and approval before the new year)," he said.

"Hopefully we would be able to perform our job within the prescribed time, within this year so when we start come January 1, 2025 we would have already the approved budget that the Filipino people can rely on and hopefully aspire to see in the next coming months in the coming year," he added.

Related Tags

2025 general appropriations bill (GAB) Senator Grace Poe bicameral conference committee Senate committee on finance 2025 national budget
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