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[av_heading heading=’Reenacted budget looms; House firm on its version’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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MANILA – The House of Representatives is taking a hard-line stance on its version of the proposed 2018 national budget, raising the possibility of a reenacted budget.
This after the bicameral conference committee faced a hurdle on some realignments made in the proposed budget for next year. Two small groups were created to discuss and resolve the contentious provisions.
“Kami sa House of Representatives, napag-usapan namin na mag-hard stance kami dito, dahil kung ano ‘yung napag-usapan namin at inaprubahan doon sa House of Representatives, ‘yun ang gusto naming mangyari,” said Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez yesterday.
Alvarez raised the possibility of a reenacted budget for next year if both House and Senate panels could not reconcile the disagreeing provisions before Congress goes into Christmas recess on Dec. 13.
“Ngayon, kung hindi kami magkasundo doon, mag-re-enact na lang tayo ng budget noong nakaraan. Tabla-tabla na lang,” Alvarez said.
The proposed P50-billion cut in the 2018 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for right-of-way (ROW) acquisitions was met with dissent from both senators and congressmen.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson pushed for the P50.7-billion cut in the DPWH budget due to unresolved ROW issues which he said was the “main culprit” for the huge underspending of the agency.
Also met with opposition is the Senate’s realignment of the P900-million allocation for Oplan Double Barrel for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the housing projects for the police and military.
Alvarez said the House has conducted a thorough deliberation of the budget and so they are not just about to relent to the demands of some senators.
House appropriations committee chair Karlo Nograles said the Senate and House have until Dec. 13 to ratify the 2018 budget to meet the Dec. 19 deadline for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing into law.
“Ideally, we have to ratify this before Congress goes into a break on Dec. 13. So, ideally by Dec. 12 ratified na ito by both Houses of Congress. That way, (by) Dec. 19, as scheduled, pirmado na ni President Duterte ito,” Nograles said.
The Senate approved on final reading the proposed 2018 national budget on Wednesday, while the House passed its own version in September. (PNA)
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