House vows speedy passage of P2-T 2013 budget

The House of Representatives on Tuesday vowed to swiftly pass the proposed P2.006-trillion budget for next year to reach goals set by President Benigno Aquino III during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).

 

Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairperson of the House committee on appropriations, said the lower chamber wants the 2013 budget signed into law by Dec. 13 – or better than the record time for budget approval set last year.

 

“There is no possibility for reenactment. We will pass the budget within the year as a reflection of good governance,” Abaya said in a media briefing.

 

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad submitted the proposed 2013 budget to the House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Tuesday, a day after Aquino delivered his third SONA before members of Congress.

 

Abad said budget allocations for next year were determined with Aquino’s priority projects in mind.

 

“Yesterday, the President expressed his deepening commitment to his social contract with Filipinos… Ito ho ay ilan lamang sa pinaglaanan natin ng budget para sa susunod na taon,” the Cabinet official said.

 

Abad added that the proposed budget for next year particularly provides funding for Aquino’s promise to build new classrooms, attain rice sufficiency and increase the public’s access to healthcare by next year.

 

Belmonte, for his part, said the House will place the 2013 budget proposal under “proper scrutiny" in the coming months.

 

“We will have intensive hearings in the next two months. As we did in the previous years, we want this budget passed before the year ends so we will have a budget at hand at the start of 2013,” he said. — VS, GMA News