MANILA, Philippines – Sinabi ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III na pinaplano ng kapulungan na mag-apruba ng 2026 national budget na mas mababa kaysa sa executive-proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Ang inirekomendang NEP para sa 2026 ay nagkakahalaga ng P6.7 trilyon.
“Yes… lower budget, lower than the NEP. We saw a lot of items that can be removed. And the president also agreed that they can be removed,” pagbabahagi ni Sotto.
Nang tanungin sa halaga, sinabi ni Sotto na “it’s very difficult to say at this point.”
Iginiit ng Senate leader na ito ang “single most important piece of legislation” na kailangang ipasa ng Mataas na Kapulungan.
“That’s the most important… We need to pass a clean 2026 budget under my watch as far as the Senate is concerned. That’s my primary objective now,” giit niya.
“I don’t allow to stymie the work of the Senate, especially the Office of the Senate President,” dagdag ni Sotto.
Idinagdag pa niya na layon ng mga senador na magdaos ng deliberasyon sa badyet mula Lunes hanggang Biyernes sa pagbabalik ng plenary sessions sa susunod na linggo.
“That’s our plan. As a matter of fact, as we speak, I’m about to meet Senator Sherwin Gatchelian to discuss that, to discuss certain matters,” ayon kay Sotto.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Gatchalian, Senate Committee on Finance chair, na plano niyang isponsoran ang budget bill sa plenaryo sa Nobyembre 12. RNT/JGC
