MANILA, Philippines — For Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, the ratification of the proposed P4.506 trillion 2021 proposed national budget by Congress may be possible by Dec. 6.
Sotto, in an interview over radio station DWIZ on Saturday, said Senate is targeting to tackle the amendments of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on Monday, Nov. 23.
“Tuesday, baka (maybe) second and third reading, so that’s Nov. 24,” Sotto said of the timeline of the passage of the measure in the Senate.
The Senate President added that the bicameral conference on the 2021 GAB, where the House and Senate reconciled the disagreeing provisions of the budget bill, will start either Nov. 25 or Nov. 26.
“Pag sinusuwerte suwerte baka Dec. 6 pwede namin ratify (If we’re lucky, then we can ratify by Dec. 6),” Sotto said.
Asked if the passage of GAB will be by December, Sotto answered: “Tiyak yun dahil siguradong sasabihin sa amin ni Pangulong duterte ‘wag kami magbabakasyon hanggat di namin maipapasa.”
(That’s for sure because President Duterte will surely tell us we won’t go to a vacation until we don’t pass it.)
The Senate President added that Dec. 6 is the “ideal date” for the ratification of the bill.
House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco previously expressed hope that Congress can ratify the spending measure before it goes on holiday break so that Duterte will be able to sign it before 2020 ends.
Congress is set to adjourn on Dec. 19 for a month-long Christmas break, Velasco said.