MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he House appropriations committee took just two weeks to end scrutiny of the proposed P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget, appearing to ease fears of a repeat of the delay in passage of the 2019 national budget caused by legislators fighting over kickback-laden pork barrel funds.
The end of committee deliberations paved the way for the start of plenary debates on Tuesday (Sept. 10) and approval by the chamber by Oct. 4.
搁贰础顿:听House eyes Duterte OK of 2020 nat鈥檒 budget before Christmas
The听Department of Budget and Management (DBM) submitted the 2020 National Expenditure Plan (NEP) to Congress on August 20. The budget briefing of various agencies started two days later on August 22.听Last to defend their budgets on Friday were the Department of Agriculture and the National Irrigation Administration.
搁贰础顿:听DBM submits P4.1-T 2020 budget plan to House, bares spending priorities
鈥楻补颈濒谤辞补诲别诲鈥�
Members of the Makabayan bloc said the brief period allotted to committee deliberations meant an attempt to prevent closer look at questionable items inserted in the proposed spending plan which is being 鈥渞ailroaded.鈥�
Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said billions of pesos earmarked for intelligence and confidential funds of the Office of the President鈥擯4.5 billion or almost double the 2019 level鈥攊s a glaring example of pork. House leaders defended the OP budget against the claim.
鈥淲e believe this budget is again in favor of the rich and the few, not for ordinary citizens,鈥� Gaite said in Filipino.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte wants intel, confidential funds almost doubled in 2020听
The proposed 2020 budget sets aside 37.2 percent for social services (P1.5 trillion), 28.9 percent for economic services (P1.2 trillion), 18 percent for general services (P734.5 billion), 11 percent for debt payments (P451 billion) and only 4.8 percent for defense (P195.6 billion).
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said the P388 billion 鈥渨ar budget鈥� of the administration 鈥渨ould be of better use鈥� if allocated for programs 鈥渁ddressing the social ills that incite armed conflict鈥� such as free land distribution, a living wage, and national industrialization.
鈥淭here are many departments, especially the frontline agencies which got slashed budgets especially for social services, their budget went to the security sector,鈥� said Zarate in Filipino.
搁贰础顿:听Zarate blasts gov鈥檛鈥檚 P388-B 鈥榳ar budget鈥� for 2020
Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas also questioned the small amount of time given for plenary debates鈥攐nly nine days until Sept. 20.
In earlier statements, appropriations panel chair and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab vowed to 鈥渆xpedite鈥� the approval of the expenditure plan to prevent a reenacted budget for 2020.
Congress鈥� failure to pass the 2019 budget on time had been blamed for a decline in economic growth in the first half of this year.
搁贰础顿:听
The House approved the 2019 national budget on November 20 last year, but both chambers of Congress ratified it only on February 8, 2019. President Rodrigo Duterte signed this year鈥檚 expenditure plan last April 15, also vetoing some P93.5 billion that was 鈥渘ot within the programmed priorities鈥� of his administration./tsb