House bill filed to replace joint reso extending validity of some portions of 2019 budget

In a bid to avoid issues on legality, a House bill has been filed to replace an earlier-approved joint resolution extending the validity of some portions of the 2019 national budget until next year.

House Bill 5400, filed by Committee on Appropriations chair Isidro Ungab and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, contains the same provisions under House Joint Resolution 19 which extends the availability of the funds for maintenance and other operating expenses and capital outlays under the 2019 budget until December 31, 2020.

The measure amends Section 65 of Republic Act 11260, or the General Appropriations Act of 2019.

However, Ungab said they replaced the joint resolution with a bill in compliance with a recent Supreme Court decision involving the salary of nurses.

Ungab said that according to the ruling, an amendment to the Philippine Nursing Act setting the salary grade of nurses from 11 to 15 through Joint Resolution No. 4 was "invalid."

"The Supreme Court ruled that a mere Resolution cannot amend or repeal a prior law which is an act of Congress. A Republic Act should also be amended or repealed by a Republic Act," Ungab told GMA News Online.

"The same applies to Executive Orders or Executive directives which the Supreme Court said, are not laws," he added.

Ungab said the House will withdraw the already-approved joint resolution in favor of House Bill 5400.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez earlier said the extension of the validity of some portions of the 2019 budget is vital in ensuring that the funding requirements of some national projects under this year's appropriations will continue until 2020.

"Without the extension, the unused funds will go back to the National Treasury,” he said.

“This is the best option to address the delayed implementation of programs and projects for the delivery of basic services,” he added. —KG, GMA News