Palace hopes Congress to immediately pass 2013 budget, FOI bill

MALACANANG expressed hope Saturday that Congress could soon approve the P2-trillion budget for 2013 as well as the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill to boost the economy and give the public easier access to government information.

In a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte thanked lawmakers for prioritizing the budget deliberations.

"It seems that both Houses are making good time on deliberating on the budget, we thank our legislators for that. And apparently they are on track just like the earlier pronouncements of Speaker Belmonte and of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that they will be paying due attention to the budget. And so far, we are on track for the deliberation," she said.

On the FOI bill, Valte said the Palace hopes that discussions go well when lawmakers meet this October to tackle the proposed measure.

She said it is a good development that the congressional committee will be hearing again the FOI Bill.

Both Representative Erin Tanada, the author of the FOI Bill in the House, and Senate committee chair Senator Gregorio Honasan, have essentially adopted the draft coming from the Palace.

Valte said many provisions of the Malacanang draft were adopted by the House and the Senate.

The House of Representatives on Thursday night approved on second reading the proposed P2 trillion national budget for 2013 aimed at boosting the country’s economic growth.

The 2013 budget is similar to last year's with the biggest chunk of the funding going to the Department of Education with P292.7 billion, which is 22.6 percent more than this year's P238.8 billion. (SDR/Sunnex)