House ratifies proposed national budget for 2021

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives ratified Wednesday the proposed national budget for 2021, which is expected to drive the country’s pandemic response and recovery efforts.

The lower chamber ratified the General Appropriations Bill for 2021 during its plenary session.

The ratification came after the bicameral conference committee, composed of representatives from both the Senate and the House, approved the final version of the proposed 2021 budget earlier in the day.

House appropriations chair Eric Yap has said that the bicam version of the national budget included allocations for the purchase of vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), enhancing health facilities, and financial aid to low-income families.

The national budget, Yap added, also sets aside funds for infrastructure projects for provinces ravaged by the series of typhoons that recently hit the country.

According to data provided by the office of Senate finance committee chair Sonny Angara, the education, infrastructure, and health sectors got the biggest shares in the proposed budget.

Yap earlier said that lawmakers are eyeing to submit the 2021 budget bill to President Rodrigo Duterte for signing before Christmas.

“Kung kakayanin po ng seven days printing, papasok po kami ng December 18 po ‘yung libro. If not naman po before Christmas pa rin po, maybe December 21, ganun po,” he added.

(If it can be printed in seven days, we can have the copy printed in December. If not, maybe it can be done on December 21.)

For the national budget to be submitted to the Office of the President for approval, the bicam version of the budget bill has to be ratified first by both the Senate and the House.

EDV