Belmonte hopeful of budget approval by next week

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. is hopeful that the House of Representatives can finish its deliberations on the proposed P2.006 trillion budget by next week.

In a chance interview with the House leader Wednesday, Belmonte told reporters that they would approve the 2013 budget on second reading next week.

Although there were still some unfinished business with a number of agencies, Belmonte said he was positive that legislators can pass the budget and transmit it to the Senate by then.

“It’s important to pass (the budget by then) so that we can transmit it to the Senate so they can officially take cognizance of the budget,” he said.