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MANILA, Philippines 鈥� After holding one hearing, the congressional bicameral conference committee on Tuesday approved the P2.264-trillion national budget for听 2014 sans the 鈥減ork barrel鈥� funds of听 15 senators and Vice President听 Jejomar Binay.

The approved budget was P3.2 billion lower than Malaca帽ang鈥檚 original proposal of P2.268 trillion, which was adopted by the听House of Representatives,

Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero, chairman of the Senate finance committee, said the P3.2 billion cut represents the foregone 鈥減ork barrel鈥� of the 15 senators and Vice President, who decided to give up their P200 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) each in 2014.

He said the amount was deducted from the听four agencies in which the original PDAF allocation of the听senators were听placed namely the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Health, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Social Welfare and听 Development.

The approved budget will now be returned to both chambers of Congress for ratification before it is transmitted to President Aquino for signature.

Asked听when Congress can ratify the budget听proposal, Escudero said: 鈥淗opefully [as soon as the details are completed in the] bicam report [and then signed], hopefully this afternoon or at the latest tomorrow.

The committee chair defended the听swift approval of the听budget in the bicameral听committee,听saying that听unlike the past years, they opened the听hearing听to the public.

鈥淲ala naman kaming tinatago (We鈥檙e not hiding something),鈥澨鼸scudero听said.

In accordance with the Supreme Court decision declaring the lawmakers鈥� Priority Development Assistance Fund known as 鈥減ork barrel鈥� funds 鈥渦nconstitutional,鈥� Escudero said Congress removed from the听2014 General Appropriation Act听 (GAA) the 鈥減ost-enactment intervention鈥� or听听 鈥渄iscretion鈥� of听听legislators听 over听 the implementation of听 projects.

He said听the听GAA also contained听a special听provision requiring听听each government agency 听to report to Congress and the Commission on Audit their听 utilization听of听 their funds, including lump sum, savings, among others.

A听 provision imposing the highest听 penalty听 in accordance with the existing revised penal code,听 plunder law and anti-graft law, Escudero said, 听was also听 added听 for the first time in the budget听 bill.

鈥淭he 2014 GAA will contain听stricter clearer听provisions on reporting, transparency and accountability. The question now is implementing the mandate of Congress on the part听of the executive and other implementing agencies,鈥澨鼸scudero said.

For the first time also,听he said, Congress has created a quick response fund (QRF) for听 the Department听听 of听 Science and Technology and听 the Department of Health.

He said the total calamity fund听and the QRF in next year鈥檚 budget have now reached P16.9 billion, an increase of听 approximately P6 billion from the original proposal.

The said budget was on top of the P100-billion fund in the GAA for the reconstruction of areas recently hit by calamities particularly Supertyphoon 鈥樷�榊olanda鈥欌�� and the central Visayas earthquake.

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