MANILA – The House of Representatives on Wednesday started its plenary deliberations on the proposed PHP3.757-trillion national budget for 2019.
This comes after the budget deliberation was stalled since Monday due to claims of billions worth of “insertions” in the budget of some lawmakers.
House appropriations committee vice chairperson Maria Carmen Zamora sponsored House Bill No. 8169 or the 2019 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on the floor. It is usually the committee chairman—in this case, Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles—that delivers the sponsorship speech for the national budget.
Zamora said the House would exercise discretion in the legislative power of the purse.
"As representatives of the people, we are accountable for every peso footed and ruled in the budget book, and we invite our esteemed colleagues to subject them to your scrutiny," Zamora said.
"We appeal to the Honorable Body to generously and helpfully extend much-needed assistance as we discharge our constitutional mandate. Let us work hand-in-hand in enacting a budget that will build a bright future for the country and its people," she added.
Zamora said the PHP3.757 trillion cash-based budget is equivalent to 19.3 percent of gross domestic product, which is marginally higher compared to the 18.9 percent in 2018.
This is about PHP433 billion or 13 percent higher than the 2018 cash-based equivalent of PHP3.324 trillion.
On Tuesday, the House, convening as a Committee of the Whole, approved the realignment of at least PHP51.792 billion of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget for 2019 to fund various programs of other government agencies.
A total of PHP51.792 billion under the DPWH budget for various regions has been realigned to other programs under the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Agriculture (DA), other DPWH programs, as well as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management fund.
The lower chamber is expected to pass the GAB on third and final reading by Oct. 12 before going on a congressional break. (PNA)
