Congress leaders: 2020 budget bill OK next week

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz & Butch Fernandez

CONGRESS leaders have moved to avert the prospect of the government operating under a reenacted 2019 budget by January should lawmakers miss a deadline to ratify and submit to Malacañang for signing into law the final reconciled version of the P4.1-trillion 2020 budget bill before they adjourn for the Christmas recess on December 20.

“I do not expect hitches,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III told the BusinessMirror, adding he expects the annual money measure to be “ratified by next week.”

This, as Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon disclosed Tuesday that the Senate-House conference committee is on track to meet their deadline, forming a “small committee” to identify conflicting provisions in the two chambers’ versions that are likely to delay the process.

“The bicam authorized Sen. Angara and Cong. Ungab to constitute a small committee to go over the conflicting versions,” said Drilon. “I have worked with Senator Angara and Congressman Ungab in the past congresses. They are competent and reasonable legislators, and I am confident they can finish their task before we adjourn on December 20,” he added.

Angara, however, declined when asked to predict if the bicameral panel can meet the yearend deadline.

In a text message to BusinessMirror, Angara admitted: “It’s hard to say ahead of time. We are really trying to pass it before the congressional break, knowing what happened with the 2019 budget. Whatever differences may arise both panels realize the need for a timely passage of the budget.”

Ungab, the House Committee on Appropriations chairman, said members of the House and Senate Bicameral Conference Committee will be working this week despite the inclement weather to settle discrepancies in the two chambers’ different versions of the budget bill, including their institutional amendments or realignments.

“The House Appropriations Secretariat just finished studying [Monday] the figures in the Senate’s GAB [general appropriations bill] as approved on final reading. I presented these findings to the House Bicameral Conference Committee Panel and will proceed to discuss the details with my senate counterpart, Senator Angara. Both chairmen will still have to go through the details and we still have to agree on the contentious figures,” Ungab explained.

“Nevertheless, both panels agree on the need to pass and approve the national budget before the Christmas break [on December 18],” he said.

Meanwhile, a source from the House said the bicameral conference committee is eyeing to finish and approve the budget this week for the two chambers’ ratification on Monday next week.

Congress is eyeing to submit the 2020 national budget to President Duterte on December 20.

Earlier, House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the senators have realigned P135 billion under the 2020 budget.

He said the P135 billion has been realigned to the unprogrammed projects of the government.

The Department of Budget and Managment said the national budget provides for standby appropriation under unprogrammed funds that will supposedly give the government some allowance to undertake proactive measures in urgent situations. However, this was not detailed in the Palace’s National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Realignments for 4 sectors
In the House of Representatives, P9.5 billion in funds were realigned to various government agencies, covering the sectors of infrastructure, agriculture, education and health care.

At least P3.5 billion was allocated through the Department of Agriculture (DA) to enable it to buy more palay from farmers amid the plummeting farm-gate prices in certain parts of the country and to set up a quick-response fund.

The institutional amendments also included P800 million to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the operation of schools from Kinder to Grade 12, and establishment of model day-care centers nationwide.

The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) also got P500 million as part of the realignments, while the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) received P250 million for the maintenance and other operating expenses of community-based rehabilitation centers.

The other beneficiaries of the amendments were: the Department of Health (DOH) to augment funds for the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in the amount of P100 million and another P100 million for a quick-response fund; the Philippine National Police  (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) which received P1 billion each to set up their respective camp development funds; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), P500 million for its  National Resource Conservation and Development-Protected Areas and Development Management Program (NRCD-PADMP).

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), P274.95 million for the operating expenses of the Davao International Airport (DAI); National Electrification Administration (NEA), P500 million for its  sitio electrification program; Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), P500 million for the special allowances of traffic enforcers and field personnel, and salary increases of 4,000 job order personnel; and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), P500 million, for the preparation and training of athletes for 2020 Olympic Games and 10th Asean Para Games.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/12/04/congress-leaders-2020-budget-bill-ok-next-week/