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MANILA – On Thursday, the Senate approved the final reading of the 2021 P4.5 trillion national budget, with the “determined focus on restarting the economy” despite recent calamities and the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 22 senators present in plenary voted to pass the 2021 General Appropriations Bill one month before the year-end deadline before the current spending law expires.
“Hopefully, within the lines of this budget, our people see that there is indeed a way out of this pandemic and recession and that we are not without hope,” said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sonny Angara in the plenary.
Among the amendments the Senate included in the 2021 spending bill are additional P10 billion funding for the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and the continued hiring of contact tracers.
The bicameral conference hearing to resolve the different provisions adopted by the Senate and House of Representatives is expected to begin next week.
More details below.
