Senate, House ratify bicam report on P4.1-T budget

The Senate and the House of Representatives  ratified Wednesday the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed P4.1-trillion proposed national budget for 2020.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, finance committee chairman, endorsed the report to the plenary.

No one opposed the ratification, not even Senator Panfilo Lacson who earlier in the day questioned the alleged insertions made by the House of Representatives. 

At the House, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano commended the bicameral committee members for their thorough review and timely approval of the budget bill.

"2020 is a very symbolic year as it represents a perfect vision - a vision we share with President Duterte to provide a safe and comfortable life for all Filipinos. Now more than ever is the best time to push for reforms to see this goal through," he said.

Cayetano, however, maintained that the House passed the 2020 budget bill with no pork, no parked funds, no delays and with transparency.

In an interview earlier, Angara said the budget bill will be printed after the ratification and will be sent to Malacanang for the President’s signature in a week's time.

“Usually may printing ‘yan, pipirmahan pa ng Senate President (Vicente Sotto III) and House Speaker (Alan Peter Cayetano) so maybe five to seven days or could be more,” he told reporters. —LDF, GMA News