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MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives will vote on the final approval of the proposed national budget for 2021 when it resumes its session on November 16, President Alan Peter Cayetano said Tuesday.
Cayetano made the announcement after the Chamber approved the 2021 General Appropriations Bill (Bill No. 7727) on second reading.
The House was supposed to have passed the bill at second reading on Friday, October 9, and was originally scheduled to pass it at final reading on October 14.
However, after passing the bill at second reading on Tuesday, the House suspended its session until November 16.
“What happens is that we will be working. We will not take a break and on November 16 we will vote in the third reading, ”Cayetano said, speaking in part in Filipino, on Facebook Live.
“Before that, there was already the consent of the majority of the congressmen because I am going to show you the budget one by one. And that’s how I was able to promise the Filipino people that it would be very transparent, “he added.
Indeed, Cayetano said there would be a one-day delay in the transmission of the approved budget from the House to the Senate.
“I am asking for the understanding of our beloved president of the Senate and of the entire Senate,” said Cayetano.
“We here in the Chamber waited a month because the executive, the DBM [Department of Budget and Management] they were one month late in the presentation, instead of July, during SONA [State of the Nation Address], although they are allowed by law until the end of August. Let’s understand: it was not the executive’s fault that there is COVID, “he added.
Cayetano also said that the lower house would be willing to work with the Senate during the recess to reduce contentious provisions in the budget and facilitate the deliberations of the bicameral conference committee.
“If the Senate wants to work with us during the recess to make the bicam less controversial, we are more than happy to work with you during the recess. I have already spoken with several senators and they agree with me that although one day it is substantial. Still not a reason to [the bill] You can’t pass it, ”Cayetano said.
Meanwhile, Cayetano also urged Marinduque representative Lord Allan Velasco, with whom he has a shared term agreement, to join the budget discussions.
“Congressman Velasco, you are free to campaign, you are free to defame [“manira”], you are free to be absent, you are free to be present. Once I have the numbers, don’t worry, I’ll step aside. But saying that you have the numbers and having the numbers are two different things, ”Cayetano said.
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