Budget Approval Unanimous – Cayetano

Second reading of budget measure railroaded, Velasco, other solons claim

- Ben R. Rosario

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano assured President Duterte that the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Act or the national budget was passed unanimously on second reading Tuesday night.

But administration Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, together with congressmen representing the minority and independent blocs in the House of Representatives, strongly denounced what they branded as the alleged “railroading” of the second reading approval of the proposed 2021 national budget and the abrupt adjournment of the plenary sessions and the subsequent suspension of session until next month.

This prompted Senate President Vicente Sotto III to express fears the House of Representatives’ sudden decision to suspend their session will also delay actions on other bills that are pending in the Senate, including the construction of the new Manila International Airport.

Cayetano, however, allayed Sotto’s fears, saying Sotto and 3 his Senate colleagues have no reason to worry about the passage of the budget measure.

He said Sotto may have been misinformed about what transpired in the Lower House when it passed on second reading House Bill No. 7727 proposing a ₱4.506 -trillion allocation for government operations in 2021.

Even Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the move of the House will not delay the passage of the 2021 budget, saying the Senate can now proceed with their deliberations.

Velasco, in a statement, blamed Cayetano and “his handful of allies” for the passage of the 2021 national budget law without going through the budget process provided for under the 1987 Constitution.