DEPUTY SPEAKER Prospero A. Pichay, Jr. of the 1st district of Surigao del Sur said the House of Representatives will extend session until Dec. 19 to work on the P3.757-trillion budget at the request of the Senate.
“If they extend, we’ll also extend because we need to wait for the bicam to finish. After the bicam, the president needs to sign (the budget) if we hope to avoid a re-enacted budget,” Mr. Pichay said in a briefing on Monday.
He was referring to budget rules that provide for the old budget to be “re-enacted” or brought back into force if Congress fails to pass a budget bill.
“If the Senate requested session until Dec. 19, then I’m sure that by Dec. 19, we will be able to ratify the budget,” he added.
House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Maria Carmen S. Zamora of the 1st district of Compostela Valley that the chamber targets third reading approval of House Bill 8169, the Fiscal Year 2019 General Appropriations Bill, on Nov. 28.
Mr. Pichay added that despite the delay, Congress will submit a new budget for next year.
“Well, we have the assurance of the Majority Floor Leader that it will not be a re-enacted budget so that means that he’s in constant communication with the Senate as far as the timetable is concerned,” he said.
He said the delay stemmed from the controversy relating to insertions made in the budget, which prompted the House to move for realignments.
Mr. Pichay cited the P51.792 billion originally allocated to the Department of Public Works and Highways, which was realigned to other government offices. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

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