Plenary debates for 2024 General Appropriations Bill to begin next week
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00:00 Some legislators say the mulling on the budget proposal is reckoned to get more potent and serious.
00:07 Meanwhile, the plenary debates for 2024 General Appropriations Bill reportedly begins next week.
00:14 Mela Lesmora tells us more details in this report.
00:21 That's all systems go for the plenary debates of the 5.768 trillion 2024 General Appropriations Bill at the House of Representatives.
00:30 Earlier today, the Committee on Appropriations conducted an excommeeting on the matter and approved a committee report on the budget proposal.
00:38 We approved the bill at the committee level and so that's the committee report and we also approved the schedule of the plenary debates.
00:48 So we are beginning September 19 and hopefully approving the bill on 3rd reading September 27.
00:55 According to the Appropriations Panel, only two provisions were amended on the bill and despite the concerns on the confidential funds of some agencies, it remains unchanged.
01:05 There are two changes on the NAP so one is on the validity of the budget so we changed it from one and a half years for MOE to two years.
01:20 And then the other is on the, we put in a provision, a special provision on the chapter for Congress to ensure the independence of Congress.
01:36 In the coming days, the scrutiny on the budget proposal is expected to get more intense.
01:42 And lawmakers assured that whatever happens, the welfare of the Filipinos will be their priority.
01:48 Despite the observation of House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas that the funding for Women and Children's Program seems to have been neglected.
01:56 The programs for women and children are lodged in different agencies and I think because I participated in almost all of the budget hearings, they were able to ask questions to these agencies.
02:17 For example, in DOH, in DSWD, in DepEd, so there's a number of agencies that have programs for children and women.
02:30 I think there's a substantial number.
02:35 Melales Moras for the Nation.
02:37 The Commission on Elections or COMELEC faced senators today for their proposed 2024 budget.
02:45 Right from the get-go, the poll body immediately asked upper chamber lawmakers to give back P5.7 billion of their allotment as their original proposed budget from the DBM was over P44 billion.
02:58 However, they were given over P27 billion under the National Expenditure Program.
03:04 COMELEC Chair Attorney George Garcia said the P5.7 billion is meant to be used for their preparations for the national and local elections in 2025.
03:14 Without it, their preparations for the very important religious exercise might be severely affected.
03:21 We honestly believe that if they will not be restoring the P5.7 billion, we will find it hard to prepare for the national and local election of 2025.
03:39 Of course, the budget we are proposing before the President and Congress does not contain yet the budget for 2025, which will include definitely the honoraria for our electoral board members.
03:54 [BLANK_AUDIO]