MANILA, Philippines – Pinalutang ni Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III nitong Lunes, Disyembre 22 ang posibilidad na mapirmahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriation BIll (GAB) para sa 2026 sa Enero.
Ito ay sa kabila ng desisyon ng Senado at Kamara na iurong ang kanilang legislative calendar para tanggapin ang ratipikasyon ng bicameral conference committee report sa 2026 GAB.
Nakatakdang ratipikahan ng Kongreso ang bicam report sa Disyembre 29 bago mag-adjourn ng sesyon sa Disyembre 30.
Sa kabila nito, hindi tiyak kung mapipirmahan ng Pangulo ang budget bill sa Disyembre 30 o Disyembre 31.
“If they have started reviewing it from now up to that time, there is a possibility but I doubt it. I doubt it,” sinabi ni Sotto.
“Perhaps sometime in the first week of January would be ideal, once they’ve already reviewed it,” dagdag pa.
Wala namang nakikita si Sotto na problema sa pagkakaroon ng reenacted budget sa loob ng ilang araw o linggo.
“So if they have already started the review and we ratify an enrolled bill on the 29th, there is a possibility it could be done on the 30th or 31st, if they have already reviewed it. But if the review is not yet complete, then it’s really possible in the first week of January,” giit ni Sotto.
“An almost enrolled copy—or an enrolled copy that is sent to the President—so that it is completely clean and free of any insertions whatsoever.” RNT/JGC
