MANILA – A leader of the House of Representatives on Tuesday said the proposed PHP5.024-trillion national budget for 2022 is on track with its enactment this month as the congressional bicameral conference committee began deliberation on the spending measure.
Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera, a member of the House contingent to the bicameral conference committee tasked to draw up the final form of the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA), said the approval of the bicam report on the 2022 national budget is expected next week followed by its ratification before Congress adjourns its session for the Christmas break.
“We hope the bicam would finish its task by next week so that Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate—would ratify the report before adjourning next week,” Herrera said in a statement.
Herrera expressed confidence on the “able leadership” of both House Appropriations Committee Chair Eric Yap and Senate Finance Committee Chair Sonny Angara.
“With Representative Yap and Senator Angara at the helm, we can expect a timely and decisive approval of the 2022 national budget by the bicameral committee,” Herrera said.
She remains hopeful the final version of the 2022 national budget will be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte before Christmas.
“Hopefully, President Duterte will be able to sign the budget before December 25,” Herrera said. “If this happens, it would be Congress’ best gift to our kababayans this Christmas.”
The proposed 2022 General Appropriations Act is 11.5 percent higher than this year’s PHP4.506 trillion.
The budget plan is guided by a strategy supported by three main pillars – Building Resilience amidst the Pandemic; Sustaining the Momentum towards Recovery; and Continuing the Legacy of Infrastructure Development. (PNA)
