Senate-House standoff may result in reenacted budget

The strong possibility of a reenacted 2018 national budget surfaced at the bicameral conference committee after the House of Representatives declared yesterday a hardline stance against the Senate’s decision to cut by 150 billion the proposed allocation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the Lower House panel in the bicameral committee will also stand pat on the House version of the

proposed 2018 General Appropriations Act (GAA) that allocated P900 million for the anti-drug Oplan Double Barrel being implemented by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Senate has approved a GAA that reduced the DPWH budget by 150 billion and re-aligned the additional 1900 million anti-drug budget to finance housing projects for the police and the military.

Alvarez aired the House stand after the House and Senate bicameral panels failed to agree on the two budgetary controversies last Thursday.

In an attempt to settle the issue, the two sides agreed to create two small groups to discuss 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 ay ang gusto naming mangyari,” Alvarez said in a radio interview. (We in the House of Representatives agreed to a hard stance because what we discussed and approved has to be realized).

Among the contentious issues in the 2018 budget is the Senate’s cutting of the proposed P50 billion under the DPWH over issues of right-of-way (ROW) acquisitions.

Likewise, the House opposed the Senate’s realignment of the 1900-million allocation for Oplan Double Barrel for the Philippine National Police (PNP) and allocated it instead for the housing projects for the police and the military.

Alvarez said the Duterte government will likely operate next year under a reenacted 2017 budget if no agreement is reached by the Senate and House contingents before the Christmas break on December 13.

The House official noted that 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.

Alvarez said a reenacted budget would actually be advantageous to the Executive Department because it can then use the funds for the purposes it may deem necessary.

However, Alvarez said it is still possible that the House and the Senate bicameral panel may reach a consensus within the next few days on the disagreeing provisions of the 2018 budget.