House tackles 2017 national budget tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives is set to start plenary consideration of the proposed P3.350-trillion national budget for 2017 tomorrow.

Next year’s outlay is President Duterte’s first budget proposal.

The House, which usually convenes from Monday to Wednesday, will extend its sessions up to Friday to meet its timetable of approving the budget by the third week of next month.

The initial debates will focus on the general macroeconomic assumptions and principles used by the Duterte administration in putting together the 2017 budget.

Agencies whose funding allocations would be scrutinized next week include the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Foreign Affairs and Commission on Audit.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, who chairs the appropriations committee, and his vice chairmen, assisted by Cabinet members and other agency officials, will defend Duterte’s first budget.

The House will print the budget after approving it toward the latter part of next month. It will then transmit it to the Senate.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has assured the nation that the 2017 outlay would be ready by January.

“There will be no reenacted budget. President Duterte’s 2017 budget will be ready by the start of next year,” he said.

He also said public discussion on Charter change (Cha-cha) that would shift the nation to the federal system “will not distract us from the timely passage of the proposed outlay for next year.”

Alvarez commended the appropriations committee for rushing consideration of Duterte’s budget proposal so it could be approved before yearend.

Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas told his colleagues and administration officials that the House has to expedite its work on the outlay because Duterte submitted it two weeks late.

“Before, the budget was usually presented a day after the President’s SONA (State of the Nation Address). This year, it was proposed two weeks after the SONA,” he said.

“This is the first time that we will have sessions until October without a break so we can finish deliberations on the budget,” he added.