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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Deadlock mars bicameral discussions on 2007 budget
MANILA -- Senator Franklin Drilon said on Tuesday that an impasse at the bicameral conference committee has resulted in the delayed ratification of the proposed 1.126-trillion budget for 2007.
Hence, he added, a reenacted budget for two weeks to a month next year automatically takes effect.
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"There is no more time to finish it before the year is over. The ratification, certainly, would no longer be possible. We can always look for a solution to this," said Drilon, who chairs the Senate finance committee.
Drilon however remained hopeful that the 2007 budget would be ratified in January.
"A reenacted budget for two weeks to one month will not harm us," he said.
At Malacañang, the administration said it remains confident that Congress would still be able to pass the proposed budget if not this year, then by next year when it resumes sessions in January.
Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio said Congress would know what to do and the budget would be on top of next year's priorities if its not ratified before the break for the holidays.
Congress goes on a Christmas break staring December 22. Sessions will resume on January 22.
Drilon said there were "difficulties" on certain issues that caused the budget ratification to be delayed.
He cited as an example the P4 billion allotted for the purchase of rice in the budget of the Department of Education (DepEd). The Senate instead used the amount for the construction of classrooms.
Drilon also said it was the same thing with the teachers. There is a need for about 16,000 teachers but the budget only provided for 10,000.
"So we had authorized the hiring of 6,000 teachers more, drawing this from the Food for School budget. Because a number of senators raised an issue, why are we are using the school to distribute rice. This is not a feeding program," Drilon said.
He said a compromise solution is still being explored by the bicameral conference.
Albay Representative Jose Salceda, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, agreed there is little chance of having the proposed 2007 budget approved with only two remaining session days left before the break.
Salceda said despite their frenzied efforts to avoid another reenactment, they may not be able to pass the budget on time. (CPB/JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (December 20, 2006 issue)
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