Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa during one of the Senate hearings. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa appealed on Thursday that lawmakers be given ample time to review the national budget before it gets ratified by both chambers of Congress.
Dela Rosa aired his stance in a short manifestation he delivered during the bicameral conference committee meeting on the 2025 national budget funding.
“Before we sign the bicam report, please give us enough time to read it all over again and check everything. Before we sign — so that we don’t look like fools when we sign,” said dela Rosa.
Senate panel on finance chair Grace Poe immediately acknowledged dela Rosa’s manifestation, saying that bicam conferees have long committed to such.
“This has been the commitment of your chairman of finance as well as the Senate President so you will be given, all of us will be given, ample time to review he final version before we sign,” said Poe.
During the meeting held Thursday, the conferees unanimously pushed for the creation of a technical working group composed of representatives from the House of Representatives and the Senate.
They will be tasked to reconcile the provisions of the House Bill No. 10800, otherwise known as the 2025 General Appropriations Bill.
Opposition senator Risa Hontiveros clarified whether this meant that the conferees would still need to review in “full panel to panel” after it gets reconciled by the technical working group.
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Poe, for her part, answered in the affirmative.
“Yes, there are just a few disagreeing provisions and it’s good that we can work it together with the technical working group,” said Poe.