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Senate ratifies 2022 General Appropriations Bill: The Senate on Wednesday, December 15, 2022 ratifies the proposed P5.024 trillion national budget for next year, which is expected to push the country’s pandemic response and recovery efforts. Reporting the harmonized version of the proposed 2022 General Appropriations Bill during a hybrid plenary session, Sen. Sonny Angara, chairperson of the Committee on Finance and head of the Senate contingent in the Bicameral Conference Committee, said the budget remains geared towards enhancing the country’s health system, including the pandemic response. He said pandemic response and other health concerns were allotted higher budget. As mandated by the Constitution, Angara said the education gets the biggest allotment, especially for the Department of Education and the state universities and colleges as the country is returning to face-to-face classes. “Our bicam report also makes good on current initiatives to jumpstart our economic recovery and support ailing companies, especially MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises),” Angara said. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)