MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday predicted the approval of the 2020 budget next week if the upper chamber would simply adopt the version of the House of Representatives.
“Pagka sinunod yung proposal ni Senator (Panfilo) Lacson, next week pasado na yung budget,” Sotto said in an interview on DZMM.
(If we heed Senator Lacson’s proposal, then the budget could be approved next week.)
“Ang proposal nya (Lacson), i-adopt na lang yung House version. O di walang bicam (His proposal is to adopt the House version. So there will be no bicam),” he added.
Lacson earlier said he himself would recommend the adoption of the House’s version of the budget bill if indeed the lower chamber had only realigned P9.5 billion to certain agencies.
READ: Lacson says Senate may adopt House-approved 2020 budget
In a radio interview on Sunday, Lacson also revealed that there were no “pork” insertions in the House-approved budget.
READ: Lacson: No pork, only institutional amendments in House-approved 2020 budget
“Pinakamagandang gawin dahil sa nakita namin P9.5B lang na institutional amendments, baka mas magandang gawin namin, i-adopt na lang namin ang House of Representatives version,” said Lacson.
(The best way to go, since we saw P9.5 billion worth of institutional amendments, maybe it’s better if we adopt the House version.)
Sotto said he is inclined to back Lacson’s proposal, noting that any budget insertion could be avoided if the two chambers would no longer meet in a bicameral conference committee.
“Actually matagal na namin yang pinag uusapan yan e. Sabi ko di tingnan nating mabuti. Kung maayos naman yung mga pinasa ng House, bakit gagalawin pa natin?” the Senate leader asked.
(We’ve been talking about that. I said let’s scrutinize it. If there’s no problem with what the House had passed, then why touch the budget?)
“Pag walang bicam, walang insertion. Kabisado ko yan,” Sotto said, followed by a hearty laugh. /gsg