Senate OKs P5.768-T national budget for 2024 on 3rd reading

The Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading the bill containing the P5.768-trillion proposed national budget for 2024.

The 2024 GAB garnered 21 affirmative votes, zero negative vote, and one abstention.

The upper chamber passed the 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on second and third reading within the same day as the measure was certified urgent by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III abstained from voting due to his objection to the certification of the GAB as urgent — a similar concern which he raised last year.

Prior to the third reading approval, Senate finance committee chairman Sonny Angara, sponsor of the 2024 GAB, mentioned major amendments to the House of Representatives’ version but he did not disclose the amounts that were involved.

Angara only divulged over P1 billion augmentation on the budget of the Department of Science and Technology and P50 million increase on the Department of Education’s Learner Support Program.

There was also no mention of the controversial confidential and intelligence fund (CIF).

To recall, several agencies either waived or asked the Senate to reduce their CIFs, including the Office of the Vice President, Department of Education, Office of the Ombudsman, among others.

After the Senate’s approval of the GAB, the national budget will be tackled in a bicameral conference where lawmakers from the upper and lower house will reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the House and Senate’s versions.

Once reconciled, the final version of the GAB will be ratified in the House of Representatives and the Senate then it will be sent to Malacañang for the President's review and approval.

The P5.768-trillion proposed budget for 2024 reflects a 9.5% increase from the 2023 appropriations, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

At a press briefing earlier in the day, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the President would likely sign the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024 before his trip to Japan in December.

The ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Commemorative Summit will happen from December 16 to 18. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News