THE House of Representatives will make sure the proposed P4.5-trillion 2021 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) is signed into law by President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte before Congress goes on Christmas break next month.
This was according to House Deputy Majority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera, who is part of the 21-member House contingent to the bicameral conference on the 2021 national budget.
“We are hopeful the 2021 GAB will breeze through the bicam without a hitch so we can come up a common version at the soonest possible time,” Herrera said.
“Our ultimate goal is to send the enrolled version of the budget bill to Malacañang for President Duterte’s signature before we adjourn on Dec. 19,” she added.
The House contingent, headed by committee on appropriations Chair Eric Yap, will start meeting with its Senate counterpart this week to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Act embodied in House Bill (HB) 7727.
Herrera said Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s marching order is to make sure there will be enough funds for the government’s coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) response, especially the procurement of vaccines for a great number of Filipinos.
“Speaker Velasco also wants the House contingent to push for an additional budget for the calamity fund for the rehabilitation and recovery of areas devastated by recent typhoons,” Herrera said.
“We could not agree more with the Speaker in his resolve to help typhoon victims rebuild their lives and their communities,” she added.
