Senate Receives 2018 Proposed Budget from House

The Senate of the Philippines today (September 27) received from the House of Representatives House Bill No. 6215 or the 2018 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

Senator Loren Legarda said that the Senate Committee on Finance, which she chairs, is ready to sponsor the 2018 GAB next week after the subcommittee reports are submitted this week.

“Upon submission of the subcommittee reports of my vice chairpersons, we will file and sponsor the committee report next week and we will conduct marathon sessions so we can finish the budget interpellations of all agencies before session adjourns on October 12for a one-month break,” Legarda said.

The Senator explained that the Senate will be able to approve the GAB on second and third reading upon resumption of session in November, to be followed by the convening of the bicameral conference committee so that the Senate and the House can reconcile the differences in their respective versions of the proposed 2018 national budget worth PhP3.767 trillion.

“We aim to submit the 2018 GAB to the President on the second week of December and, hopefully, enacted way ahead before Christmas. This way, agencies would have time to plan the execution of approved projects and programs before the holidays. Hopefully, this would help in the early disbursement of funds and a more efficient obligation,” Legarda concluded.