Senate, House finalize P2-trillion budget for 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate and the House of Representatives finalized the proposed P2-trillion 2013 national budget yesterday.

A bicameral conference committee, which reconciled the two chambers’ versions of the spending measure, signed its report and endorsed it to the two houses.

The Senate and the House were expected to ratify the report last night and send the budget bill to President Aquino for signing into law.

The bicameral conference committee reduced the proposed budget by P100 million, representing the pork barrel fund allocation of Sen. Panfilo Lacson for six months.

Lacson and Sen. Joker Arroyo had not been availing of the annual P200-million fund since they were elected more than 11 years ago. The two are ending their second term on June 30, 2013.

Lacson had been making sure that his pork barrel allocation was deducted from the annual budget to prevent its possible misuse.

The 2013 budget includes P25 billion in pork barrel funds for senators and congressmen. Each senator gets P200 million and each House member is allocated P70 million.

House sources said Aquino would sign the budget bill into law on or before Dec. 20.

This year is the third year in a row that Congress will have approved the spending measure before yearend, enabling the administration to make early fund releases.