The House of Representatives will begin today, Monday, the deliberations on the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 to ensure its approval on third and final reading before Congress adjourns next month.
The plenary session begins at 10 am, but House Bill 8169 or the 2019 budget appropriation will be taken up at 2 pm.
Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. called on his fellow lawmakers to take part in the deliberations and to cooperate to ensure the timely approval of next year’s National Expenditures Program or the General Appropriations Bill.
“I enjoin everyone to be productive and cooperative during our plenary deliberations on the 2019 budget bill, which suits the proposal of this administration,” Pichay said.
He said a smooth discussion of the issues on the budgetary allocations to the various government agencies and departments would ensure the timely passage of the 2019 budget.
Congress wants to approve HB 8169 on third and final reading by Oct. 12 before its adjournment.
Earlier, House committee on appropriations chairman and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles said his panel was prepared to pass the national budget on time.
“The House is always conscious of its mandate to approve next year’s budget in order not to hamper the delivery of basic services to the Filipino people,” he said.
The committee on appropriations had spent a month scrutinizing the budget proposals of the government agencies and departments.
Nograles will open the deliberations with his sponsorship speech today.
The budget proposals for the Defense, Education, Finance, Tourism, and Agrarian Reform departments, the National Economic and Development Authority, the Commission on Audit and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council have been lined up today.