AS the leadership of the lower chamber wants to increase the budget for some agencies, the House of Representatives said the Senate should agree to open to the public the bicameral conference committee hearing on the proposed P3.757-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2019.
In a statement, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Rolando G. Andaya Jr. said all amendments to the proposed budget must be discussed in the bicameral conference and must be known to the public.
“If we don’t see it in the bicam, it’s pork. If we don’t approve it in the bicam, then it’s also pork,” he added.
The Senate and the House will resume bicameral session on the proposed 2019 national budget at 10 a.m. on Monday at the Manila Polo Club.
“The bicam technical working group has prepared the matrix, which shows the differences in the Senate and the House versions. This will be the baseline of our discussion,” Andaya said.
“The House contingent will request the senators to open the bicam discussion to the public. We stand firm in our earlier position to allow the media to cover the bicam proceedings,” he added.
House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sunday asked the bicameral conference on the proposed 2019 budget to increase the budget for the Department of Health by P10 billion to improve health facilities and to retain more health personnel.