Congress to finish 2013 budget reconciliation next week

The Senate and the House of Representatives are set to finish next week their deliberations on the P2.006-trillion budget for 2013. “We expect by next week that the Senate and the House can come up with reconcile versions of the budget,” finance committee chairman Senator Franklin Drilon told reporters in a phone interview on Thursday. Drilon revealed that the bicameral conference deliberations started on Thursday morning. Drilon and Senator Panfilo Lacson represented the Senate panel. “What was clear was that the differences between the two versions were not substantial,”he noted. In October, the Lower House transmitted House Bill No. 6455 or the General Appropriations Bill to the Senate. Drilon added that a technical working group, which will settle provisions in the General Appropriations bill, has been organized. The TWG will be composed of Drilon’s staff and that of Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong, the Lower House’s finance committee chairman. The Senate approved the budget for 2013 on Wednesday. The biggest share of the budget (34.8 percent) will go to social services. Another 25.5 percent will go to economic services; 16.6 percent to debt-service; 17.3 percent to general public services; and 4.5 percent to defense. — BM, GMA News