Ratification of 2010 budget seen by mid-January
12/15/2009 | 05:03 PM
Congress may not pass the proposed P1.5-trillion national budget for 2010 until middle of January next year due to time constraints, House Speaker Prospero Nongrales said on Tuesday.
Nograles said the proximity of the holiday break leaves them with less time to study and ratify the final version of the 2010 General Appropriations Bill.
"Chances are what will happen is that we will have the bicam [version] ratified when we come back January 17," Nograles said at a press briefing with reporters.
Congress is expected to have its last session day for the year on Wednesday before it goes on recess for the holidays.
At present, the bicameral conference committee is still threshing out several differences in the Senate and House versions of the proposed budget.
Members of the bicameral conference committee started tackling the budget earlier in the day at the Philippine Coconut Authority (Philcoa) building in Quezon City. They are expected to finish their deliberations by Wednesday afternoon.
Once the bicameral committee agrees on the provisions, the budget bill would be returned to the Senate and House for ratification and then sent to the Palace for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s signature.
Even though the 2010 budget might not be ratified until January next year, Nograles said this is faster compared to the 2009 budget, whose signing in mid-March caused the government to act on a re-enacted budget for the first few months of the year.
The Senate approved the budget on third and final reading on Monday, while the House approved it November 9. - Johanna Camille Sisante/KBK/RSJ GMANews.TV
Nograles said the proximity of the holiday break leaves them with less time to study and ratify the final version of the 2010 General Appropriations Bill.
"Chances are what will happen is that we will have the bicam [version] ratified when we come back January 17," Nograles said at a press briefing with reporters.
Congress is expected to have its last session day for the year on Wednesday before it goes on recess for the holidays.
At present, the bicameral conference committee is still threshing out several differences in the Senate and House versions of the proposed budget.
Members of the bicameral conference committee started tackling the budget earlier in the day at the Philippine Coconut Authority (Philcoa) building in Quezon City. They are expected to finish their deliberations by Wednesday afternoon.
Once the bicameral committee agrees on the provisions, the budget bill would be returned to the Senate and House for ratification and then sent to the Palace for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s signature.
Even though the 2010 budget might not be ratified until January next year, Nograles said this is faster compared to the 2009 budget, whose signing in mid-March caused the government to act on a re-enacted budget for the first few months of the year.
The Senate approved the budget on third and final reading on Monday, while the House approved it November 9. - Johanna Camille Sisante/KBK/RSJ GMANews.TV
