00:00Neda, an updated poverty threshold is set to be released next year.
00:05The agency signed the continuation of the deliberation in the Senate's plenary
00:11on the national budget for next year.
00:14Daniel Manalastas is in the center of the news.
00:19It's just the first part of the budget deliberation in the Senate's plenary
00:23but the Senators are already busy in their debates.
00:27Yesterday, they already discussed the unprogrammed funds and the poverty threshold.
00:32According to the Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson, Senator Grace Poe, a budget sponsor,
00:38there is P158.7 billion for the unprogrammed funds in the budget bill.
00:44In fact, it's just small compared to the poverty threshold.
00:57based on what's available.
01:00And then, that meal plan will be submitted to the PSA.
01:11The Secretary has always said, we will follow the decision of the Supreme Court.
01:16Of course, we're hoping that we don't have to.
01:18I mean, they are hoping that we don't have to, but should we be required to return it,
01:26then we will find a way to do so.
01:28Senate Minority Leader Coco Pimentel has already discussed the debt issue.
01:33Does this administration intend to pay down our debt?
01:38They plan to make the economy grow faster than the debt.
01:42So, the debt-to-GDP ratio will decrease.
01:46It is expected that the next few days,
01:48the government's agencies will be involved in the budget deliberations.
01:54Daniel Manalastas for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
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