The House of Representatives’ (HOR) deliberations on the proposed 2019 national budget will begin as scheduled on Tuesday, July 31, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Karlo “Ang Probinsyano” Nograles said on Sunday as he stressed that the new House leadership recognized the importance of the immediate passage of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“The lifeblood of government is its budget, and as legislators we are aware that we have both the power of the purse and the responsibility to wield this power wisely and judiciously,” said the three-term congressman from Davao.
“A smooth transition was promised by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and in line with this we are proceeding as planned with the per-agency debates on the 3.7 trillion-peso 2019 national budget, which commence on Tuesday,” Nograles said.
“The lifeblood of government is its budget, and as legislators we are aware that we have both the power of the purse and the responsibility to wield this power wisely and judiciously.”
“Our objective is to pass the GAA on time and to make sure it addresses the needs and concerns of all Filipinos, especially those in the provinces who need more of everything, like social services and infrastructure,” stressed the solon from Mindanao.
The lawyer-legislator has confirmed officially receiving the Malacañang’s proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP) from Speaker Arroyo’s office. Submitted by the Palace to Congress last Monday, the NEP will serve as the basis for the 2019 GAA.
Under the proposed 2019 GAA, Education remains the top priority of the Duterte administration, followed by the public works department and the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of National Defense, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the Agriculture department, the Judiciary, and the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao.
Among the first budgets to be scrutinized by the Nograles panel are those of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Finance, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The proposed 2019 national budget will be adopting cash-based budgeting instead of the traditional, multi-year obligations-based budgeting system. The DBM has described it as the more efficient budgeting method since it limits incurring obligations and requires payments for goods delivered and services rendered, inspected, and accepted within the fiscal year.
“Of course we have to scrutinize the wisdom of this new system, considering certain realities in the
implementation of critical government projects. We also have to weigh in on its effects on long-term big ticket projects,” Nograles explained.
“The proposed 2019 national budget will be adopting cash-based budgeting instead of the traditional, multi-year obligations-based budgeting system.”
Also scheduled to be tackled by the House this week are the proposed budgets of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, the National Food Authority, the National Irrigation Administration, the Philippine Coconut Authority, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, and the Department of Agrarian Reform.
