(Eagle News) – The Senate and the House of Representatives on Friday, February 8, finally ratified the P3.757 trillion national budget for this year, after the bicameral conference committee finally agreed on a final version following deliberations on alleged budget insertions.
Both houses of Congress ratified the final version of the bill approved by the bicameral conference committee. This will now be transmitted to Malacanang for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature.
Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said that final version of the 2019 national budget was “pro-poor, pro-development, pro-inclusive and pro-Filipino.”
Finally, we are proud to present a version of the budget that is pro-poor, pro-development, pro-inclusive and sustainable development, pro-Filipino. The 2019 budget is a product of hard work and discernment,” she said.
“After weeks of bicameral conference meetings, the Senate and the House of Representatives have finally approved and signed the bicam committee report on the #2019budget,” Legarda said in a twitter post.
The final version of the 2019 national budget was ratified on the last day of session of Congress before they go on a three-month break.
The senators said they passed the 2019 budget for the sake of the upliftment of the country’s economy.
“We are passing the budget because it is good for the Philippines,” said Senator Cynthia Villar.
“Pag nindi natin pinasa ang budget, yung GDP (Gross Domestic Product) natin babagsak (If we don’t pass the budget, our GDP will suffer),” she said, citing that 22 percent of the country’s GDP comes from government spending.
In the approved final version of the budget, some of the amendments included the restoration of the budget for health care facilities and for health personnel which amounted to P21 billion; the allotment of P800 million for teacher’s allowance on the celebration of World Teacher’s Day; and the augmentation for the school-based feeding program by around P1 billion.
Also funded in the General Appropriations Bill are the increase in the allowances of Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units; increase in the police per capita maintenance and other operating expenses of the Philippine National Police (PNP); creation of a new infantry division in Mindanao; PNP’s new 911 command center; money for medicines for veterans; cash for work, government internship programs, and scholarships; and budget for public markets nationwide, for school buildings and books; budget for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL); and budget for the rice tariffication program.
Before this was final version of the 2019 national budget was approved, the bicameral conference committee had long debates and exhaustive deliberations on the budget in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.