National budget will be for Aquino signature by mid-Dec

MANILA, Philippines—The chairman of the Senate finance committee is confident that Congress would be able to send   the proposed P1.816 trillion national budget for 2012 for President Benigno Aquino’s signature by December 14.

Senator Fraklin Drilon said the bicameral conference committee would work even during this weekend to thresh out the different versions of the House of Representatives and the Senate and come up with a report by Monday.

“We will try to finish and sign the bicam report by  Monday but certainly not later than Tuesday,” Drilon said during a weekly forum in the Senate on Thursday.

The bicameral report will then be referred back to both chambers of Congress for ratification before it is transmitted to Aquino for signature.

“We are confident to bring the budget to President Aquino by  December 14 and that should give the President and the budget management enough time to go over and  sign it before the year is over,” said Drilon.