House starts debates on proposed P3.35-T ‘budget for change’

House of Representatives. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The House of Representatives on Monday started its plenary debate on the proposed P3.35 trillion national budget for 2017 dubbed as the “budget for change.”

Appropriations committee chairperson Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles led the opening salvo of sponsorship speeches, starting with the General Principles and General Provisions of the House Bill 3408 or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) in 2017.

READ: DBM submits P3.35-T ‘budget for change’ for 2017

The budget reached plenary debates after it went through 33 hearings before the appropriations committee from Aug. 22 to Sept. 14 and 15 pre-plenary conferences from Sept. 14 to 22.

“We are ready to defend the budget. We have gone through a series of budget briefings and pre-plenary hearings. So we have all heard the concerns and issues raised by the members of the House. Appropriations committee leaders have also been given the opportunity to discuss in detail the budget proposal of each department and agency of government,” Nograles said in a statement.

According to the House schedule, the plenary budget deliberations will be conducted starting today until October 7, Monday to Friday. The period of amendments is set on Oct. 7.

In his sponsorship speech before the plenary, Nograles said the proposed 2017 budget represents the agenda for change promised by President Rodrigo Duterte during his electoral campaign to address rising criminality, drug abuse and corruption.

“The 2017 national budget embodies the commitment of the House to support President Duterte’s agenda for real change,” Nograles said.

“The 2017 national budget is the embodiment of the administration’s program of government and how we intend to achieve it. It is the vessel of our noblest aspirations for our people, for a better society where opportunities for advancement are abundant and not for the privileged few but accessible to every Filipino,” he added. RAM/rga