House ratifies bicam report on 2020 budget bill

The House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the bill providing for the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020.

The chamber approved the report only hours after members of the bicameral panel themselves signed and adopted it in their meeting in Makati City earlier in the day.

In a statement, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano commended the bicameral committee members for their thorough review and timely approval of the budget bill.

"2020 is a very symbolic year as it represents a perfect vision - a vision we share with President Duterte to provide a safe and comfortable life for all Filipinos. Now more than ever is the best time to push for reforms to see this goal through," he said.

Cayetano, however, maintained that the House passed the 2020 budget bill with no pork, no parked funds, no delays and with transparency.

This was even as Senator Panfilo Lacson bared that the 2020 national budget is still riddled with pork funds.

"While there is no perfect budget, both the Senate and the House of Representatives have identified areas where funds have been underutilized for various reasons," he said.

"Thus both houses made adjustments so it can now be fully utilized for programs such as the Build, Build, Build and social welfare programs in furthering the goal improving the quality of life of Filipinos," he added.

Cayetano believes that the early approval of the budget in the bicam level will allow President Rodrigo Duterte to review the budget bill's provisions and make sure that they are aligned with his administration's priority programs.

"We now leave it up to the Departments, Agencies, and the rest of the Executive branch to fully implement the projects and programs with no corruption and with full transparency," he said. — RSJ, GMA News