2019 nat’l budget row nears end
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2019 09:33:05 +0000
The congressional row on the P3.757-trillion proposed budget for this year is nearing its end as senators and congressmen have agreed to have the 2019 General Appropriations Bill signed into law.
This was according to House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. after their meeting with senators yesterday to resolve the impasse on the government spending program.
“Unang-una pinagkasunduan ay magkaroon ng bagong budget,” Andaya said.
Present in the meeting were Senators Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson, Gregorio Honasan, San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Andaya. Members of the Executive branch, led by Department of Budget and Management, also attended.
Lacson said they made “some progress” while Andaya called it a “major step” towards ending the budget deadlock.
The three-man panel from the Senate and House, however, agreed to meet anew tonight to discuss the more contentious issues in the GAB. The three-hour meeting only revolved on the respective positions of the two chambers on the spending bill.
“Na-explain na namin yong panig ng House. Na-explain na rin ng Senado ‘yong kanilang side,” Andaya said. “We just needed place to explain to each other. May punto sila, may punto din naman kami,” he added.
Andaya said President Duterte was correct in urging the two chambers to talk and settle the budget row between them, as he noted that they only have been able to hear their counterpart’s views through the media.
The lawmakers, however, opted to discuss their disputes over the itemizations and supposed realignments made to the GAB after its ratification.
Andaya maintained that the itemizations should remain, as removing it will render the budget bill unconstitutional. (Vanne Terrazola)