Quezon lawmaker says 2021 budget approval in danger of being delayed

House of Representatives. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The approval of the 2021 national budget is in danger of being delayed amid the speakership row and the latest move of the House of Representatives to suspend session until November 16, a lawmaker warned Wednesday.

Quezon 4th District Rep. Helen Tan said even though the House approves the budget bill on November 16, the Senate would still have to tackle it on their end.

“There is a danger na mangyari talaga ‘yun [delay], especially with the crisis in Congress. Although he [Cayetano] promised on November 16, the House will deliver that budget to Senate pero maraming dapat i-resolve siguro doon sa members [but there are a lot of things needed to be resolved probably with the members],” she said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

“We have to consider din ‘yung pagdating sa Senate, may enough time ba sila para gawin ‘yung dapat nilang gawin [Do they have enough time to do whatever they need to do]?” Tan added.

Taking many by surprise, the House approved the budget bill on second reading on Tuesday night upon the motion of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

Cayetano, likewise, moved to create a committee “with full powers to entertain committee as well as individual amendments by the members to be submitted to the committee on appropriations on or before November 5.”

The House Speaker said proposed amendments shall be submitted to the created committee until November 5.

The committee is composed of Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Deputy Speaker Henry Oaminal, Committee on Appropriations chair Eric Yap as well as vice chair Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, Committee on Banks and Intermediaries chair Junie Cua, Committee on Ways and Means chair Joey Salceda, Committee on Economic Affairs chair Teodorico Haresco Jr.

Also included are Representatives Stella Quimbo, Mike Defensor, Manix Dalipe, Elpidio Barzaga Jr., and Aileen Ermita-Buhain.

The creation of a committee that would thresh out amendments to the budget is also “questionable,” Tan said as it was not clear whether the committee, who would receive and review the amendments, will also decide on it.

She pointed out amendments to the budget bill must  be tackled and approved by House members in the plenary.

“Hindi naman nila naipaliwanag kung ‘yun bang pag-submit ng amendments at ni-review nila ay pagdedesisyunan nila o ihahain nila sa plenaryo [The did not explain whether the submission of amendments, which they reviewed, will result in coming up with a decision or will just have to submit it before the planary]? We need to clarify that,” Tan said.

However, if House members will still deliberate on the amendments in the plenary once session resumes on November 16, Tan said there would definitely be a delay in the approval of the budget bill, especially on the part of the House.

“Yes, there will be a delay. Ang reyalidad, mayroon talagang delay sa budget natin kahit pa sabihin natin na i-promise natin na gawin ng leadership, mamadaliin nila, ire-railroad nila lahat, nakikita ko mayroon pa ring delays pa rin talaga in the budget approval,” she said.

(Reality is that there is really a delay in our budget even though the leadership is promising to expedite it, they will railroad everything, I can see there is still a delay in the budget approval.)

JPV