Drilon assures 2020 budget approval by end of November

MANILA, Philippines— Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon assured Thursday that the proposed P4.1 trillion nation budget for 2020 would be approved before the end of November.

The Senate began Monday its plenary debates on the budget and Drilon expects the chamber to finish it by next week.

“And after that, we will approve it siguro bago matapos ang Nobyembre. Bago mag 4th week of November tapos na po yan sa Senado at ang bicameral conference committee magpupulong na,” he said over DZMM.

(And after that, we will approve it maybe before end of November. Before the 4th week of November, the Senate can finish it and the bicameral conference committee will convene)

“Wala pong problema, we will finish the budget on time,”  Drilon added.

(There is no problem, we will finish the budget on time)

Once approved by the chamber, the Senate and the House of Representatives will convene in a bicameral conference committee to reconcile their versions of the budget bill.

After bicam approval, the budget bill will be sent back to the Senate and the House for ratification before transmitting it to the President for his signature.  /muf