Congress urged to pass budget on time

Department of Finance (DoF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez called on Congress to pass the 2020 national budget bill on time following the sparring of leaders of the House of Representatives over the measure.

In a statement on Tuesday, Dominguez said that they are encouraging Congress to pass the budget on time as the consequence of operating on a reenacted budget will be extremely disadvantageous to the government.

“We encourage the legislature to pass the budget on time after due deliberations, as the consequences of operating on a re-enacted budget as what happened this year, are extremely detrimental to the nation, especially the disadvantaged,” Dominguez said.

The Finance chief made the call following the warning issued by the chief House panel on government spending and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab that the passage of the budget could be derailed, as other lawmakers sought to include “priority projects” in the bill.

However, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda on Tuesday played down this scenario, saying the House of Representatives will “move forward” and refer the 2020 national budget back to the plenary.

Salceda, who heads the House tax-writing committee, said rival blocs agreed to support Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano in getting the 2020 budget approved before lawmakers go on break on 5 October.

The budget bill was earlier withdrawn from the plenary by Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte due to alleged “premature” filing, prompting a protest from Ungab.

Analysts have said that slower economic growth in the first half of the year was primarily due to the delayed passage of the 2019 budget.