(Eagle News)–The House of Representatives on Friday, Oct. 16, approved on final reading the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget.
Over 200, or 257 congressmen, voted for House Bill No. 7727 while six were against.
With the approval, the House can now transmit its final version to the Senate which is expected to resume session on Nov. 9.
The House version as approved is expected to be transmitted to the Upper House on Oct. 28.
The passage of the proposed national budget, which was supposed to be used against COVID-19, came after a row between Marinduque Rep. Lord Velasco and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano over the Speakership, which ended with Velasco being elected as Speaker and Cayetano stepping down.
This was in accordance with a gentleman’s agreement the two were parties to, and which President Rodrigo Duterte brokered in July.
The President had warned both parties he himself would fix the impasse in the House, and urged the House to focus on passing the proposed national budget for 2021 instead.
It was the President who called for a special session of Congress from Oct. 13 to 16 to ensure the passage of the proposed budget.
