Today’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) may mark a first in the signing of the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OLBARMM), the former Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), right during the speech of President Rodrigo Duterte, House of Representatives Secretary-General Cesar Strait Pareja said.

“The target that was given to us was if possible, during the SoNA, there will be a signing by the President,” he added.

Pareja said the initial plan was for the President to sign the law prior to the delivery of the address but “there was a slight change.”

“That will the first time that a law will be signed during the SoNA. So that will be historical,” he said.

Pareja added the House will immediately tackle the budget for next year after the annual speech.

The proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2019 will be referred to the House committee on appropriations after this is handed to Congress by Mr. Duterte during his SoNA.

The Third Regular Session opens at 10 a.m. and will be followed by the singing of the National Anthem by the Tagum City Chamber Chorale.

The Opening Statement from Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez follows that is expected to outline the agenda of the House for the new session. The secretary-general will then call the roll of House members.

To follow is the consideration and ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on House Bill 6475 and Senate Bill 1717, providing for the OLBARMM.

Thereafter, there will be reading of messages from the Senate and then the designation of members to the joint committee of the House and the Senate to notify the President of the joint session.

The Majority Leader then will inform the House upon notification of the chair of the House joint committee, that the President will come at the appointed time to deliver his message. The Speaker then will adjourn the session until 4 p.m. for the joint session.

Pareja said a swift action by the House on the budget measure will avoid a reenacted budget as it did successfully during the 17th Congress.

“We were informed the NEP will be presented by the President to Congress during his SoNA. Last time, right after the SoNA, we immediately referred it to the committee on appropriations. The SoNA was on a Monday. That was a Tuesday during the session when we referred the 2018 NEP to the committee on appropriations so it can start the budget hearings at once,” Pareja said.

“We are trying to avoid a re-enacted budget because it is not good for the economy. The government has no choice but to request a supplemental budget if the budget for the year is not sufficient, we don’t want to experience that again,” Pareja said.

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