MANILA, Philippines – Aarangkada na bukas, Agosto 18 ang Kamara para sa deliberasyon ng P6.793 trilyong General Appropriations Bill para sa 2026.
Sinabi ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez na wala silang itatago sa taumbayan.
Sa unang araw ay pangunahing tatalakayin ng House Committee on Appropriations ang briefing ng mga miyembro ng Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) sa inihaing panukalang badyet ng administrasyong Marcos na nakapaloob sa National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Makakasama ni Speaker Romualdez ang chairperson ng Committee on Appropriations na si Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela “Mika” Suansing sa pagsalubong sa mga miembro ng DBCC.
Ang briefing ay pangungunahan nina Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan Jr., Finance Secretary Ralph Recto at Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Eli Remolona Jr.
“We want not only to inform but to involve the public, because the national budget is the people’s money. It should benefit them all. Kung ang pinag-uusapan ay ang pera ng taong bayan, dapat taong bayan din ang nakakaalam at makikinabang. Wala tayong itatago są kanila.”
Aniya, ang NEP ay sumasalamin sa mga pangunahing gastusin ng Bagong Pilipinas ni President Marcos.
Ayon pa rin kay Romualdez, kabilang sa mga repormang ipatutupad ng Kamara sa deliberasyon ng badyet ay ang mga sumusunod:
– Inviting civil society, people’s organizations and the private sector to join budget hearings. In line with this, the House leader has furnished copies of the President’s NEP to representatives several people’s organizations.
– The House will prioritize investments that truly change lives: agriculture for food security, infrastructure for connectivity and jobs, education for opportunity, health for all, and defense and disaster preparedness for national safety.
– The House will abolish the “small committee’ it formed in the past after approving the budget to collate institutional amendments to the NEP.
– The House will open to the public the House-Senate conference the two chambers convene after approving their respective versions of the national budget.
– The House will strengthen its oversight function in the execution of the budget after the President signs it into law. This exercise will require timely reports from agencies and real-time tracking of major projects.
“Bawat pisong ginastos, dapat may katumbas na serbisyong nararamdaman ang taong bayan,” giit pa ni Romualdez. Meliza Maluntag
