Swift approval of 2021 national budget lauded
MEMBERS of the House of Representatives commended the leadership of new Speaker Lord Allan Velasco for the swift approval of the 2021 General Appropriations Bill ( GAB), allaying fears of a reenacted 2020 budget that does not cover programs against the coronavirus pandemic.
The GAB was approved Friday evening after four days of marathon deliberations. The House leadership has vowed to transmit the GAB to the Senate on October 28 to give its counterpart time to review the spending bill.
“It has been an interesting week, but as promised, the House has delivered on its commitment to approve the budget. We are now prepared to work with the Senate and the President’s Cabinet to ratify the budget on time and prevent the need for a reenacted budget. The House under Speaker Velasco is prepared to do whatever it takes,” House Ways and Means Chairman and Appropriations Vice Chairman Jose Maria “Joey” Salceda said in a statement.
“We are happy to approve the P4.5 trillion budget of the Philippines for 2021. We are praying for its swift passage in the Senate,” Cagayan de Oro City Second District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez posted on Twitter.
“It is not a perfect budget and we may not agree with certain items therein, but we are thankful that it has been promptly approved by the House. We are certain now that we won’t be operating on a reenacted budget in 2021. Otherwise, we would be in a quandary as the same would not be responsive to the demands to curb the pandemic and mitigate its harsh impact on the country,” Agusan del Norte First District Rep. Lawrence Fortun said.
Deputy Majority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy commended Velasco’s decision to revoke the second reading approval of the GAB and reopening debates to give lawmakers the chance to scrutinize the spending bill.
“Speaker Velasco earned my respect more after he made true his promise to lead the House into approving the budget in a timely, legal and constitutional manner,” Herrera-Dy said.
Meanwhile, Malacañang is looking forward to the swift approval of the proposed 2021 national budget in the Senate after the Lower House passed it on third and final reading.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. thanked the House for doing its part in passing the budget but hoped they would be able to transmit the printed copy to the Senate soon.
“We thank the House of Representatives for passing on third and final reading the 2021 General Appropriations Bill on time or within the special session called by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Roque said.
“The Chief Executive has in many occasions articulated the importance of the timely passage of the budget, given that we are in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic where we need resources to fund government interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of the virus,” he added.