Romualdez eyes House approval of 2023 nat’l budget before year ends

Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, a staunch constitutionalist, at a gathering hosted by the Philconsa, of which he is President. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is looking at approving the proposed national budget for 2023 within the fourth quarter of 2022, Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said on Monday.

Romualdez, seen as the next House Speaker, said in an ambush interview with reporters that the budget for 2023 remains to be the most important piece of legislation that they have to finish.

Under the Constitution, both houses of Congress — the House and the Senate — are mandated to scrutinize the budget.  The lawmaker assured though that they will give President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. enough time to sign the proposed budget into law before the year ends.

“Well first of all, the budget and then there’s a follow on what we have already passed in the House, but not in the Senate, in the previous 18th Congress, a number of (bills) have been refiled,” Romualdez said.

“Of course, the most important is the 2023 budget which we will pass, definitely, well, well within the […] last quarter, rather, giving the President sufficient time to sign it into law before the year ends,” Romualdez added.

As to when they expect the budget to be submitted by the executive, Romualdez said that they would wait for it within the 30-day period.

“Well as you know, the executive has the prerogative to submit the Net Expenditure Program, the proposed project, within the 30-day period from the delivery of the Sona.  So we will expect that within that time period,” he noted.

Just last July 8, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has assured the public that they will hand the proposed P5.268 trillion budget for 2023 — first under Marcos Jr.’s watch — by August 22.

Pangandaman said they intend to maximize the period allowed for the executive to submit the proposed budget to Congress.  Under the 1987 Constitution, the President and his executive branch should submit the National Expenditures Program within 30 days after the delivery of the State of the Nation Address (Sona).

As Marcos would deliver his Sona on Monday, July 25, the deadline for the submission of the proposed budget is on August 23.

READ: DBM chief vows to hand Congress P5.268-T 2023 budget by Aug. 22 

As to what can be expected from the President’s Sona including his legislative agenda and priority bills, Romualdez said that he does not want to preempt Marcos’ speech.

However, he said that he knows Marcos has many plans for the country, aside from the bills passed during the 18th Congress that the House would revisit.

“We look forward to his Sona which we expect to be very informative and that will be our guidelines, moving forward in the 19th Congress.  I know, he has many plans in store for us, so I believe he will guide us within the legislative agenda and the most important piece of legislation — the budget which is not just only for 2023 but moving forward with the ensuing years,” he said.

“I think you have seen most of them that have already been filed, and there’s to be followed and a follow through, but I don’t want to preempt the president’s Sona statement, so we’ll take our cue from his Sona priority measures,” he added. With reports from Christine Annie Asistio, INQUIRER.net trainee

JPV