ISASALANG ngayong araw ng Martes, sa plenary deliberation sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso ang 2024 national budget na nagkakahalaga ng P5.768 trillion, na target na maipasa sa loob ng 9 session days lamang.

Ito ang inanunsyo ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez ukol sa pagsisimula ng deliberasyon ng pambansang pondo sa plenaryo ng Kamara matapos itong aprubahan sa committee level kamakalawa.

“House is on track to expeditiously approve the budget submitted by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. before Congress goes on recess later this month,” ani Romualdez.

Base sa Calendar of Session ng Kongreso, nakatakdang mag-adjourn ang sesyon sa Setyembre 30, 2023 at babalik sa trabaho ang mga mambabatas pagkalipas ng mahigit isang buwang bakasyon o sa Nobyembre 6, 2023.

Dahil dito, 9 session days lang isasalang sa deliberasyon ang pambansang pondo dahil nagpasya ang liderato ng Kamara na magkakaroon ang mga ito ng sesyon tuwing Huwebes at Biyernes hanggang sa Setyembre 29.

“We will work morning and afternoon and on Thursday and Friday this week to meet our timeline. The national spending bill is the single most important piece of legislation Congress passes every year,” ayon pa sa lider ng Kamara.

Unang isasalang sa plenary deliberation ang budget ng Department of Finance, Department of Tourism, at National Economic and Development Authority kasama na ang kanilang mga attached agency at ilang tanggapan sa ilalim ng Office of the President (OP).

Isusunod sa pangalawang araw ang Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Elections, Commission on Human Rights, Department of National Defense, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry habang sa Huwebes naman pagdedebatehan ang budget ng Department of Justice, Department of Agrarian Reform, Presidential Communications Office, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, at state universities and colleges.

Nakalista ang Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Labor and Employment, at Department of Interior and Local Government at ibang pang government owned and controlled corporation sa Biyernes.

Sa Setyembre 25 naman isasalang ang budget ng Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, habang sa Setyembre 26 naman tatalakayin ang pondo ng OP, Office of the Vice President, Department of Education, Metro Manila Development Authority, at Dangerous Drugs Board at ilan pang OP agencies, Department of Public Works and Highways, at Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“September 27, Wednesday, will be the last day of budget deliberation. If needed, the House of Representatives can still hold session until September 29. To be taken up are funding proposals for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Transportation, Department of Budget and Management, and lump-sum appropriations,” ani Romualdez.

(BERNARD TAGUINOD)