MANILA, Philippines — The approval of the proposed 2021 national budget once the House of Representatives resumes session on November 16 is only an “assumption” that no “politicking” will take place on that day, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Friday.
Nograles said this as he questioned delays in the passage of the proposed 2021 budget when the House could have done it as prescribed by the legislative calendar.
“I think that’s the message of the President. That it (session suspension) shouldn’t have happened. Because there should have been, they should have stuck with the calendar,” Nograles said in an interview over CNN Philippines.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday threatened to step in to save the proposed national budget for 2021 from the delay due to the speakership showdown between Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
The House has suspended session after approving the proposed 2021 national budget on second reading and is expected to vote on the final approval of the budget when they resume session on November 16.
“Even if you say you’ll pass the budget on third reading pag-resume ng session, that is an assumption na walang politicking will come up on that date, November 16,” Nograles said.
“You cannot presume as much e. E what if something else happens? You can never really predict what will happen in November,” he went on.
With the House suspending its session until November 16, the budget measure will not reach the Senate before it goes on break on October 17.
Senators said the budget is “as good as reenacted” after the House prematurely went on a break.
“I mean, ideally, you can pass it on third reading but why take a chance when you can already pass the budget now as prescribed by your budget and legislative calendar?” Nograles said.