House set to approve poll budget

The House of Representatives was set to approve last night a special appropriations measure earmarking P2.4 billion for the May 2001 combined congressional and local elections.

Second-reading approval was scheduled hours after the committee on appropriations chaired by Rep. Gilberto Duavit (LAMP, Rizal) endorsed the measure.

Duavit said he and his colleagues were making sure that funding will be available for the May elections in the event that enactment of the proposed P725-billion budget for next year is delayed.

He said the approval of a special poll appropriations bill is in response to apprehensions that next year’s elections might be scrapped due to the failure of Congress to provide the necessary funds.

Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella earlier assured the nation that the House would pass a bill appropriating the needed funds.

The House is scheduled today to finally approve the 2001 budget, which is expected to be sent to the Senate later this week or early next week.

However, it is impossible for senators to pass the outlay before the end of this year since they are preoccupied with President Estrada’s impeachment trial.

This raises the prospect of the current P629-billion budget being reenacted on Jan. 1.

Last year, Congress also failed to enact the annual appropriations bill before yearend. The 2000 budget was enacted and signed into law in February. – Jess Diaz