Belmonte directs lawmakers to attend Monday session on 2013 national budget

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has directed legislators to show up at the House of Representatives Monday afternoon for the approval of the P2.006-trillion national budget for 2013.

House Public Relations and Information Bureau (PRIB) executive director Bernadette dela Cuesta said that Belmonte has ordered text messages be sent to congressmen urging them to attend session at 4 p.m. for the approval on third reading of the General Appropriations Bill of 2013.

Also up for approval by the House of Representatives is the expanded version of the Anti-Money Laundering Act along with several other bills which are up for approval on third reading at the plenary, she said.

Cavite Representative Joseph Emilio Abaya, the new chief of the Department of Transportation and Communications, earlier said that he would stay on until the national budget gets the lower chamber’s final nod.

He earlier said that the P2.006 trillion budget can no longer be increased and that the Priority Social and Economic Projects Fund (PSEPF) lump sum allocation would no longer exist by third reading.