The Only Way to Ensure the Timely Passage of the P4.5-Trillion 2021 Budget Bill

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2020/10/08/the-only-way-to-ensure-the-timely-passage-of-the-p4-5-trillion-2021-budget-bill/

Between Oct. 12 and 14 when the Senate is originally scheduled to receive the transmittal of the General Appropriations Bill from the House of Representatives, and Nov. 17 when the Speaker said they will be able to transmit the same to us, is definitely not a one-day difference as claimed by Speaker Cayetano.

With that said, I have just suggested to the Speaker if it's possible for him to resume their session, which is merely suspended and not adjourned, before All Saints' Day just to approve on third and final reading the House version of the budget measure and thereafter transmit the same to us.

I also told him the senators, especially the finance committee vice chairpersons, need at least one week to study the House version and submit to the mother committee our reports. Another week will be needed for the finance committee to consolidate everything and file its committee report. In so doing, we can start floor debates immediately after we resume session on Nov. 16, or even before that.

That is the only way we can ensure the timely passage of the budget measure. We cannot afford an impasse involving the most important piece of legislation that Congress has to pass: the national budget, which I have consistently regarded as the lifeblood of our economy, if not our country.