Drilon warns of reenacted budget amid delay in Palace submission, Avisado resignation

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Friday said he will suggest to conduct marathon hearings on the 2022 national budget as he warned of a possible reenacted budget following Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado’s resignation.

In a text message to reporters, Drilon said the executive department has yet to submit to Congress the National Expenditure Program (NEP) that contains all the proposed programs and projects of the government for fiscal year 2022, which is an election year.

“The President's 2022 budget [has] not been submitted 20 days after the SONA, which is behind schedule, if we are to compare with prior years. The pandemic, and the fact that the campaign period sets in shortly gives Congress very little time to scrutinize the 2022 budget,” Drilon said.

“The sudden resignation of the Budget Secretary makes the situation more worrisome. I will suggest to SP Sotto that we go on marathon hearings and sessions to prevent a reenactment of the 2021 GAA on an election year,” he added.

Under Article VII, Section 22 of the 1987 Constitution, “[t]he President shall submit to the Congress within thirty days from the opening of every regular session, as the basis of the general appropriations bill, a budget of expenditures and sources of financing, including receipts from existing and proposed revenue measures.”

Meanwhile, Senate finance committee chairman Sonny Angara expressed hope that the other officials in the Department of Budget and Management will help in crafting an appropriation measure that will be “responsive” to the needs of the public.

“We wish Sec. Avisado good health and we trust in the capabilities of his Undersecretaries and assistant secretaries to craft a budget for 2022 that will be responsive to our people’s needs during this very difficult time. Government spending is and will continue to be crucial going forward,” he said.

Earlier today, Malacañang announced that President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted Avisado’s resignation.

Avisado said he resigned due to health reasons.

A former Davao City administrator during Duterte’s stint as mayor, Avisado joined the Cabinet in August 2019.—LDF, GMA News