House may finalize 2024 nat’l budget as panel hearings end

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is now one step closer to finalizing the 2024 national budget after committee-level hearings ended on Tuesday, September 12.

Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, who also chairs the lower chamber’s appropriations committee, made the announcement, stressing their task to lay down a budget extensively benefiting Filipinos.

“I remain committed to my promise to expedite the passage of the 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB). It is our moral and civic duty to ensure that the budget is enacted efficiently, but also effectively, so as to better serve our fellow Filipinos,” the lawmaker said in a statement Wednesday.

“The work is far from over, but the completion of these budget briefings marks a critical milestone in our journey towards a more prosperous and equitable Philippines,” he added.

This photo of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co was taken from his Facebook page.

The committee on appropriations discussed the proposed 2024 budget of each government agency during hearings that kicked off with the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on August 10.

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It was the appropriations panel senior vice chairperson and Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo who adjourned the hearings on Tuesday night. The last deliberation was on the requested budget of the Commission on Higher Education next year.

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Quimbo said in an ambush interview late Tuesday night that the next stage of the national budget formulation will be at the plenary beginning September 19. During plenary debates, lawmakers are expected to quiz fellow legislators from the appropriations panel who are agency budget sponsors.

The House aims to finish all debates and pass the 2024 national budget before Congress takes a break on September 30.

“Well, overall naman on-target naman tayo, so we started August 10, and sa awa ng Diyos natapos naman tayo on time, and inaasahan natin na mag-umpisa ang plenary debates September 19, and hopefully matapos tayo ng September 27.  So ‘yan ang ating schedule,” Quimbo said.

(Well, overall, we are on target, so we started August 10, and by God’s mercy, we were able to finish on time, and we expect the plenary debates to start by September 19, and hopefully, we can finish by September 27.  So that’s our schedule.)

“Kailangan natin matapos on time, that’s really number one kasi syempre ayaw natin ng delay, ang pinaka-mabigat na ayaw nating mangyari is ‘yong ma-reenact ‘yong budget,” she added.

(We must finish preparing the budget on time; that’s number one because we do not want a delay. The worst that we don’t want to happen is having a reenacted budget.)

A reenacted budget is required when Congress fails to pass the GAB before the current fiscal year ends, as this scenario would force the government to use the previous year’s still-available money for the new fiscal year.

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Committee on appropriations chair Co thanked his fellow lawmakers for their efforts in scrutinizing the requested 2024 budget of each government agency.

“We have taken significant strides towards finalizing the 2024 budget, which promises to be a landmark budget focused on national growth and the welfare of the Filipino people,” he said.

“I want to express my deep gratitude to my esteemed colleagues in the Appropriations Committee and the dedicated congressmen who have worked meticulously in reviewing and suggesting valuable inputs for the budget,” he added.

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