The Senate will approve the 2023 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) by the third week of November.
Senate President Migz Zubiri said they will continue deliberations on the proposed P5.268-trillion budget when the 19th Congress resumes.
Zubiri expects the bicameral approval finished by the second week of December.
“With the hard work and commitment of all our fellow senators, we expect to have two weeks of marathon plenary deliberations.”
“With the hard work and commitment of all our fellow senators, we expect to have two weeks of marathon plenary deliberations, and hopefully we can have it approved on third reading in the Senate as early as the third week of November,” the veteran legislator said.
On the part of the House of Representatives, Speaker Martin Romualdez said they target to ratify the GAB and approve the remaining Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council-priority measures also before the Christmas break starts on December 18.
Romualdez said among the priority sectors are job creation, health, and economic recovery.
“One of our main priorities is to provide social safety nets for the people and help them recover from the economic displacement caused by COVID-19.”
“One of our main priorities is to provide social safety nets for the people and help them recover from the economic displacement caused by COVID-19. We will work harder for our economy to recover with agriculture as the major engine for growth and employment,” the veteran legislator said.
Zubiri said the- sub-committees “carefully combed over our agencies’ programs and spending” even after the session adjourned on October 1 “to ensure that the 4.9 percent increase from this year’s budget is warranted, and is crucial to the country’s continued recovery from the pandemic.”
“I am grateful to all our hardworking senators for ably steering their respective sub-committees, and for keeping us on track with our budget timeline. With everyone keeping the same work ethic and urgency to the plenary, we expect to spend about two weeks in marathon plenary deliberations, and we will hopefully be able to approve the budget as early as the third week of November,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III said in a radio interview that he and Senator Risa Hontiveros will be “friendly” during deliberations, although they still have questions regarding intelligence and confidential funds.
Pimentel was referring to the Office of the President, Office of the Vice President, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine National Police, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Public Works and Highways, among others.
If slashed, the seasoned lawmaker said their funds can be realigned to food production, senior citizen benefits, and housing.
