(Eagle News)—-Senate President Tito Sotto on Sunday, Dec. 16, expressed hope the 2019 budget would be passed before the end of January next year.
In a radio interview, Sotto said deliberations on the budget allocations of the remaining agencies will resume on Jan. 14, after the monthlong break of Congress.
After those, he said the amendments to the proposed budget would be tackled, and then the proposal would be subjected to the bicameral conference.
“Hopefully matapos before end of the month,” he said.
Lawmakers went on a break on Dec. 14 without passing the P3.7 trillion proposed national budget for 2019.
The proposed measure of the House of Representatives was given to the Senate in December, when it was supposed to have been given in November.
Issues on the proposed budget also cropped up after Senator Panfilo Lacson exposed what he said were congressional insertions cornered by Pampanga–Speaker Gloria Arroyo’s district–and by the district of House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya in the proposed national budget of the House.
Andaya has said it was actually the former leaders of the House who cornered billions of infrastructure funds in the proposed House version.
After the allegations against him, he linked Budget Secretary Ben Diokno to what he said were executive insertions, and to the contractor who allegedly cornered 30 government projects in the billions of pesos.
The House of Representatives went on to adopt a resolution urging President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his appointment of Diokno, but the President stood by the Budget secretary, noting his reputation of integrity.
Lacson then revealed a senator’s staff member had offered to “park” the senator’s pork barrel to a congressman who was “well-connected.”
Lacson said this was in a bid to earn commissions.
