Tag: budget impasse

UPDATED: No more budget impasse as Sotto signs budget bill enrolled by House but “with reservations”

(Eagle News)–The deadlock over the proposed national budget between the Senate and the House of Representatives was finally broken with Senate President Tito Sotto signing the enrolled budget bill of the House as is but “with reservations.” Sotto clarified in a press conference on Tuesday, March 26,  that even with the signing, the Senate was still against the “alignments” made by the House of Representatives in the version ratified by the Senate and the House. […]

Senate, House contingents meet over proposed nat’l budget

(Eagle News)–The Senate and the House of Representatives contingents in charge of threshing out the issues in the proposed national budget met on Monday, March 25, with House appropriations chair Rolando Andaya Jr. initially describing the atmosphere as “positive, very friendly.” The meeting between the House’s Andaya, San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, and the Senate’s Loren Legarda, finance committee chair; Panfilo Lacson; and Gregorio Honasan II took place after a […]

House officially withdraws its version of the General Appropriations Bill

(Eagle News)—The House of Representatives has officially withdrawn its version of the 2019 General Appropriations bill which it transmitted to the Senate for approval, Senate President Tito Sotto said. The withdrawal of the enrolled bill assailed by the Senate came after House appropriations chair Rolando Andaya said this was to be done in line with Speaker Gloria Arroyo’s directive “to allow a last-ditch effort to break the budget impasse.” Andaya, however, reiterated the House “did […]

Lacson: “Budget impasse” now in House due to “dizzying pork”

(Eagle News)–The “dizzying pork” has now caused a “budget impasse” in the House of Representatives, which has failed to recall the budget bill it transmitted to the Senate for signature, Senator Panfilo Lacson said. “Just when the stalemate between the Senate and the House is about to end..Meantime, we wait ” Lacson said in a Tweet. Lacson was referring to the deadlock between the two houses of Congress, following the senator’s accusations the Lower House […]

Andaya welcomes Senate proposal for special session but says House remains “steadfast” in “itemizing all lump-sum funds” in 2019 GAA

(Eagle News)—House appropriations chair Rolando Andaya Jr. maintained on Thursday, March 14, that the House of Representatives would not accept the  “lump-sum” version of the proposed national budget even if it has already been ratified by both chambers of Congress, but at the same time welcomed “any effort” to break the Senate-House impasse. According to Andaya, the House was “steadfast in its mission of itemizing all lump-sum funds in the 2019 General Appropriations Act,” after […]

Senate backs convening of special session for supplemental budget that includes contentious House “itemizations”

(Eagle News)–Senate President Tito Sotto is pushing for a supplemental budget  that will include what the House of Representatives said were its itemizations in order to break the impasse between both houses of Congress. In an interview over CNN Philippines, Sotto said the proposal was made by Senator Panfilo Lacson to San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora. “The suggestion was that, again, get back, recall the submitted [General Appropriations Bill] to us. And from there, we could […]

Palace urges Senate, House to break impasse over proposed national budget

(Eagle News) — The Palace on Wednesday, March 13, called on the Senate and the House of Representatives to break the budget impasse and submit an appropriations law it said would “aid this government better, the lives (of Filipinos) and help (the) country move forward.” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement after the leaders of both houses of Congress met with President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss the budget issues. Senate majority leader Juan Miguel […]