House approves 2019 budget on third and final reading

November 20, 2018

Voting 196 to eight, the House of Representatives Tuesday approved on third and final reading the proposed 2019 P3.757-trillion national budget.

“Everything is itemized,” Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando  Andaya Jr., who chairs the House committee on rules, told reporters in a press conference.

Andaya answered the allegations of Senator Panfilo  Lacson Jr that the delay in the budget’s passage was allegedly due to pork insertions.

“We admit there are portions that could not be itemized like the calamity fund. You can't guess how many storms enter the country and how many billions of pesos in damage do you expect," said Andaya.

"As much as possible these are itemized ( but) that will also take some time."

Andaya said delays in the approval of the national budget was triggered by the requests for funding of the executive department, including President Rodrigo Duterte himself about important projects, including housing for military personnel.

“We were swamped by a very unusual number of requests coming from the Executive, even coming from the President himself... So it was our duty to look at it one by one. We can't rush this. The quality of our work will be sacrificed," said Andaya. "And I’m sure that when this reaches the Senate, they will also need some time to look at this.”

In a TV interview Senate President Vicente Sotto III said they may not be able to approve the budget before they adjourned next month. If that happens, he said the government can function on a re-enacted budget for the first few weeks of 2019. DMS