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Saturday, December 11, 2004
Senator assures passage of 2004 budget by February
SENATOR Manny Villar said the Senate Committee on Finance would do its best to pass the proposed P907.6-billion national budget for 2005 not later than February to limit the use of a re-enacted budget to two months only next year.
Villar, who chairs the committee, said it's good to know that the Lower House finally passed the 2005 budget though they still haven't officially turned it over to the Senate yet.
"Congress will already adjourn next week. The fastest that we can pass it is in four weeks's time," Villar said in a press statement sent to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
He said the Senate will do their best to hasten the passage of the budget so there won't be a prolonged use of a re-enacted budget next year.
The senator said it's sad the Executive Department suffered a delay in submitting the 2005 budget to the Lower House, which in turn got delayed in its submission to the Senate.
"So the earliest time that the budget will be deliberated upon here at the Senate will be by mid-January, when the session resumes after the Christmas break," Villar said.
Villar also reiterates his opposition to a re-enacted budget saying he disagreed with its re-enactment last year. But he said he agrees to a partial re-enactment this year because of time constraints.
Villar said it is ridiculous to have a reenacted budget for three consecutive years. He said Congress passed the 2004 national budget in five days but it was stalled by the Lower House's refusal to meet for the bicameral talks on the budget.
Villar said he hopes that the Lower House no-show for the bicameral conference won't happen this time around.
"It's really embarrassing for us to again use a re-enacted budget. It won't look good to the foreign investors and creditors. It is also part of our mandate to pass a new budget every year," Villar said.
(December 11, 2004 issue)
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