Lawmakers at the House of Representatives have filed a bill extending the validity of the 2019 budget.

This came a week after the chamber has passed on third and final reading House Joint resolution 19 which seeks to amend Section 65 of the general provisions of Republic Act 11260 or the General Appropriations Act of 2019 and extend the availability of the maintenance and other operating expenses and capital outlays under the 2019 budget to December 2020.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Sonny Angara also filed a counterpart bill replacing the joint resolution extending the validity of the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

In an interview, Angara explained the Supreme Court recently ruled that a joint legislative resolution cannot amend an existing law.

In filing House Bill 5400, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman and Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab said the resolution must be turned into a bill to void questions on legality.

“A Republic Act should also be amended or repealed by a Republic Act. The same applies to executive orders or executive directives which the Supreme Court said are not laws,” Ungab said.

The bill was filed by Ungab and Deputy Speaker and Antique lone District Rep. Loren Legarda.

Ungab earlier said it is only appropriate for the Congress to extend the validity of the 2019 budget as it was enacted late, thus agencies will have only a few months to implement projects this year.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the budget will be used to fuel priority projects of the government such as medical assistance program, relief activities, construction and rehabilitation of schools.

Romualdez said extending the validity of the budget would be the “best option” to address the delayed implementation of programs and projects due to the delayed approval of the 2019 budget.