Pass 2019 budget now – Palace

Malacañang is calling on Congress to set aside “partisan considerations” and swiftly pass the proposed 2019 national budget to prevent any delay in infrastructure and social services as well as salary increase for government workers.

“We urgently call on Congress and graciously urge it to approve the general budget in the soonest possible time, otherwise delay in its approval will affect the release of the funds for the salary hike of soldiers, policemen, teachers and civilian employees,” Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“It will also delay the commencement as well as the continuation of infrastructure projects, not to mention the adverse effect on the efficient delivery of social services. The maintenance and operating expenses will be impaired as they will not be fully covered. New capital expenditures will also be excluded,” he added.

President Duterte transmitted the proposed 2019 General Appropriations Act last July.

Panelo said Congress must not shirk from its constitutional duty to approve the P3.757 trillion national budget for the year.

“It behooves members of Congress to steer off partisan considerations and sweep away the indifference to the plight of the citizenry and collectively focus their attention to pass the General Appropriation Bill into law for the service of the people that they have sworn to protect,” he said.

Panelo noted that the Executive has submitted the proposed general budget on the very day that the President delivered his State of Nation of Address, 29 days earlier than the maximum period required by the Constitution, “precisely to give Congress the ample time to review it and make amendments thereto.”

“Further unreasonable delay on the part of Congress to approve the General Appropriation Bill that will throw a monkey wrench on the program of the administration will be unacceptable to the sovereign people that place them in office,” he said.

“As we face crisis and calamity one after the other, the swift passage of the General Appropriation Bill will merit approbation and accolade to all the members of Congress by a grateful nation,” he added.

Congress was unable to approve the budget bill before the end of 2018 amid heated debates over allegations of budget insertions and other irregularities. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno has been accused of inserting some P75 billion in the 2019 budget without the approval of President Duterte. The funds were supposedly allocated for infrastructure projects in the budget of the public works department. The official however has denied any wrongdoing in the budget adjustment.

Senate ready to pass budget

The Senate assured it will approve the P3.757-trillion proposed national

budget for 2019 before the end of January to avert further delays in government programs due to a reenacted budget.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Upper Chamber made a commitment to finish their deliberation and pass the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) as soon as possible, as Malacañang had appealed.

“Kami meron (We do have a commitment), before end of Jan. I don't know about the House [of Representatives],” Sotto said in a text message.

Sotto said the Senate is “doing its best” to work on the GAB as quickly as possible, and the Palace, he said, is well-aware of it.

After all, he said it was not the Chamber's fault that the 2019 budget was not approved on time.

“The Palace knows the Senate is doing its best. Not our fault that the budget was submitted late," the Senate chief said, taking a swipe at the House which forwarded the GAB to them only last December.

Sotto said he hopes that the House will not prolong the bicameral conference committee on the GAB to avoid further delay on the enactment of the 2019 budget.

He made said this despite the call of House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. for a closer

bicam scrutiny of the budget to ensure that the government will meet its deficit target this year.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said senators will meet next week to discuss their specific timetable for the approval of the budget.

“But definitely, we will try to finish it as ratified in two weeks,” Zubiri told reporters in a separate text message.

Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Finance Committee and sponsor of the GAB, declared that they will pass the 2019 budget “soon” as they resume.

Ultimatum

House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. gave Diokno a January 15 ultimatum to implement a new round of salary increases for government workers.

Andaya said he will hale Diokno to court with a petition for the writ of mandamus if he will continue to “hold hostage” the full implementation of the salary hike authorized under a presidential executive order.

Andaya, who was budget secretary under the administration of former President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,

also appealed to President Duterte to “remind” Diokno to act on release of budget for thesalary increase.

“I am appealing to President Duterte, please remind the DBM Secretary to transmit to the OP all the documents needed to effect the release of salary increase for government employees due this year,” the House official said.

According to Andaya, the documents are vital in effecting the releases by January 15. (With a report from Vanne P. Terrazola)