Reso extending validity of portions of 2019 budget gets House nod

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives unanimously approved on Monday the joint resolution extending the validity of portions of the 2019 national budget until Dec. 31, 2020.

Voting 199-0 with no abstention, the chamber adopted House Joint Resolution No. 19 which was approved on second reading in September. A similar proposal was filed in the Senate.

Earlier, House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez cited the delays in the passage of the 2019 General Appropriations Act and the election ban on the implementation of infrastructure projects and social services in pushing for longer validity of the maintenance and other operating expenses and capital outlay of the 2019 P3.757 trillion national budget.

He said the extension of the shelf life of this year’s national budget would be used to fuel priority projects of the government such as medical assistance program, aid, relief activities, maintenance, and construction and rehabilitation of schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, and other essential facilities government.