AMID the budget mess, the House of Representatives said the 17th Congress has until May 20 to pass the P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019.
Nonetheless, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Rolando Andaya Jr., in a statement, urged the Senate to act now on the annual appropriations in support of the government’s “Build, Build, Build” programs, as he claimed the Senate removed P17-billion funding for BBB’s right-of-way (ROW).
According to Andaya, the House of Representatives has done its duty in passing the 2019 budget.
“Your district representatives have approved the national budget for 2019 in accordance with all the agreements forged with senators during the bicameral conference committee meetings,” he said.
“If the Senate is indeed serious in enacting a General Appropriations Act for 2019, we have until May this year to complete our task. Both chambers will resume legislative session on May 20 until June 7. That is our last chance to pass the national budget,” he added.
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Moreover, Andaya said line-itemized budgeting by the House will not cripple President Duterte’s Build, Build, Build program.
“What may stall the acceleration of the infrastructure spending was the Senate’s unilateral decision to remove P17 billion for the right-of-way funding of BBB projects,” he said.