Marcos: 2024 budget signed before Christmas
He acknowledged the consultations throughout the year and expressed optimism about the budget’s smooth passage.
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He acknowledged the consultations throughout the year and expressed optimism about the budget’s smooth passage.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he expects to sign the proposed 2024 national budget before Christmas.
In a press briefing, Marcos said he is still waiting for the final report from the bicameral conference committee, which is currently putting the finishing touches on the document.
"We're waiting for that. They're putting the finishing touches on it. Maybe today or the day, in the coming days. But certainly, the minute it is finalized, then we will immediately, of course, pass the budget," Marcos said.
He acknowledged the consultations throughout the year and expressed optimism about the budget's smooth passage.
"I would be very surprised if there are other issues that will suddenly arise that we hadn't anticipated or resolved. So, I don't see any problem with that," he said.
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Asked if he would sign the budget before Christmas, Marcos said: "Probably, yes."
However, he emphasized the need to defer to the bicam's schedule. "But you should ask the bicam to see their schedule."
Last Monday, Congress approved the proposed 2024 national budget amounting to P5.768 trillion.
The approval sets the stage for its transmission to the President for his signature, turning it into law.
Before this, the Senate and the House of Representatives separately endorsed the unified budget bill prepared by the bicameral conference committee, which harmonized the differing versions from both chambers.
Senator Sonny Angara, head of the Senate Committee on Finance, said the 2024 budget is "enough to sustain the country's growth."
"This budget will hopefully give hope to our countrymen because the times now are somewhat uncertain, right?" Angara said.
The final version of the national budget measure complies with the Constitution after Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III earlier said the budget measure was "unconstitutional."
Pimentel said the bicameral conference committee increased the unprogrammed appropriations by P450 billion.
He claimed the P450-billion increase breached Article VI, Section 25(1) of the 1987 Constitution by pushing the 2024 budget above the P5.768 trillion national budget that the executive branch had suggested.
The provision says that Congress "may not increase the appropriations recommended by the President for the operation of the government as specified in the budget."
However, Angara, a lawyer like Pimentel, said the provision only referred to the programmed appropriations or the funds specified to fund specific projects.
The Department of Budget and Management said that unprogrammed appropriations allow the agency to take on more obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collections go above and beyond expectations or when more grants or foreign funds come in.
Programmed appropriations, on the other hand, have set funding.
"I think that refers to the programmed [appropriations] because the executive definitely proposes that. If you really look at the intent of the provision, it is really to prevent congressional overreach and to prevent the executive (branch) from spending beyond its means," Angara said in a television interview.
He added: "But that concern is not present in the case of the unprogrammed funds because the executive still has a lot of elbow room when it comes to the menu, so to speak, of the unprogrammed funds or the standby appropriations.
