Arroyo bats for approval of P3.8 trillion 2019 budget
MANILA, Philippines – Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday said she wants Congress to approve the proposed 2019 P3.8 trillion national budget and prevent a reenacted one.
“Well, of course, we want to have it come out before it’s too late,” the Pampanga congresswoman said in an interview with reporters, referring to the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) currently being ironed out by the bicameral conference committee.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said he would ask Senator Loren Legarda to withdraw the Senate GAB version and continue operating under the reenacted 2018 budget amid pork barrel allegations.
“Considering the numerous allegations being leveled at the 2019 budget both from the HOR (House of Representatives) and the Senate, I will propose to Sen. Loren (Legarda), as chair of the finance committee, to withdraw the Senate GAB version and go for a reenacted budget,” Sotto said in a viber message to reporters on Wednesday.
READ: ‘Sick and tired’ of pork talk, Sotto moves for reenacted budget
Arroyo said the Senate-House conference on the 2019 expenditure plan should sort out the chamber’s amendments in the budget.
“So I think, you read in the newspapers that the Senate owned up to P200 billion in their own amendments, so that has to be sorted out between the House and the Senate,” the former President said, stressing that she cannot preempt the likelihood of a reenacted budget because she’s not participating in the bicam.
Meanwhile, House appropriations panel chair and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. echoed Arroyo’s opposition to a reenacted budget.
“It is a matter internal to the Senate. But on the part of the House, our position remains unchanged: We want a new budget. We are against a reenacted one,” Andaya said in a statement.
The former Majority Leader said he remains hopeful for a positive outcome of the bicameral conference.
“I urge my Senate friends not to abandon the bicameral conference proceedings,” he added. / gsg
