The Senate on Thursday approved the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget on its third and final reading, with all 22 senators present voting in favor of passing the 2021 General Appropriations Bill.
This comes a month ahead of the deadline set by the executive before the current spending law expires.
Senate Committee on Finance chair Sen. Sonny Angara is hopeful that the approved bill will show Filipinos that a “path out of this pandemic and recession and that we are not without hope.”
“Bagaman may pagbabago tayong isinasagawa, nananatili pa rin ang adhikain… na ang pambansang badyet ay badyet ng pagbangon, ang pinaka-stratehiya natin para umahon mula sa bigat at hirap ng nakaraang taon,” Angara said.
[While changes were made, the goal of making our budget a budget for rebuilding remains as our main strategy to rise from last year’s challenges.]
The 2021 national budget hopes to show that lawmakers are focused on helping the country rise up from the difficult challenges it has faced, most especially the global pandemic and recent onslaught of typhoons.
“The amendments we propose demonstrate that we are doubling-down on our commitment to respond more effectively to the pandemic, on our motivation to help more of our people struck by calamity, and our single-minded focus on restarting the economy.”
The bicameral conference hearing to iron out differing provisions by the Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to begin next week.
