Daily TribuneBoth Houses raced against the clock to reconcile their various versions of the national spending plan so that the President may sign the enrolled copy of the 2023 GAB before the end of the year.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. shows the signed General Appropriations Act that covers the government’s P5.268-trillion budget for 2023, at the Malacañang Palace on Friday, 16 December 2022. With the President is Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (left) and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. | KJ ROSALES/ PPA /POOL
The Marcos administration will be able to implement the country's prosperity roadmap early with the record passage of the P5.268-trillion 2023 national budget by Congress religiously attuned to the President's goals.
The national budget was signed Friday afternoon by the President and will start to, ahead of its January implementation, sustain growth, generate economic activities and jobs, and increase the income of Filipinos.
This primarily affords the Department of Budget and Management more lead time to release the appropriations in the budget law.
"The money needed to sustain our economic expansion momentum and keep the country on the high-growth path should be out in January," House Speaker Martin Romualdez said. "Agencies should be ready to keep up with their programs, activities, and projects while observing transparency and accountability."
The adoption of the administration's spending plan for next year will be the most important and potent weapon that the President, his economic team, and the entire government can use to fulfill the prosperity roadmap's goals.
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe said the Chief Executive's signing of the national budget into law demonstrates that he fully understands the importance of signing the budget bill without delay to answer the public's demands as soon as possible.
"This record-breaking enactment of the country's P5.268 trillion national budget for 2023 is proof of the Marcos administration's unparalleled commitment to quickly set into motion all the programs needed to revive the economy," Dalipe said.
Since then, the chamber has been outspoken in its support for the President's initiative and even his priority legislation. To recall, just 37 days after the executive branch submitted the appropriations request to the legislature, the House approved the proposed P5.268 trillion national budget for 2023.
Members of the bicameral conference committee composed of Senate and House members on 5 December ratified its budget report just hours after the committee reconciled the disagreeing versions of the General Appropriations Bill.
The House and Senate, whose members' alliance was a stepping stone in the early adoption of the appropriations measure, deliberated on and adopted the President's first full-year budget proposal "in record time."
Both Houses raced against the clock to reconcile their various versions of the national spending plan so that the President may sign the enrolled copy of the 2023 GAB before the end of the year.
