Don’t rush approval of 2024 budget

Senate minority to majority

MANILA, Philippines — As the Senate is set to start the deliberation of the P5.768-trillion proposed national budget for 2024 this week, the minority bloc is urging the majority bloc not to rush its passage.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he is appealing to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to ensure the proper phasing of the deliberation and eventual approval of the next year’s budget target to give the minority bloc ample time to scrutinize the 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed national expenditure.

“Actually, I will request the majority since we are only two (in the minority)…we will plead with our 22 colleagues in the Senate that if we can discuss the budget phase by phase to ensure proper scrutiny. We need time and we assure that our intervention is also quality,” Pimentel said in an interview over radio dzBB yesterday.

During Congress’ joint session, the House of Representatives formally transmitted to the Senate its approved version of the 2024 GAB. Congress, which went on break on Sept. 30, will resume session today.

After receiving the approved version of the 2024 GAB, Zubiri made a commitment that the Senate would pass the GAB in the upper chamber by the first week of December.

“Our commitment, we will pass it (2024 national budget) on time. We will finish it by the first week of December; I would believe it would be ready for the President’s signature, (the) latest (by) second week of December,” he told reporters after Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s address to Congress on Saturday.

Pimentel noted that the minority bloc is not alone in watching and scrutinizing the national budget process, but also the people, who have the right to know how their money is appropriated.

“The people are watching. Technology is now available, our proceedings are live-streamed. The people also want to understand the budget process and the content of the budget,” Pimentel said.

“The Filipino people want to know the budget process... how it is done, where it is spent and how much. That is the important content, they also want to know,” he added.

Pimentel said he would also appeal with Sen. Juan Edgardo Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, to not rush the passage of the 2024 national budget proposal.

“I will appeal to Chairman Angara to make the budget discussion by phase and not just make it a fast break (a quick offensive drive toward a goal, usually in basketball). We will soon become senior citizens, in the senior basketball tournament, there will be no more fast breaks. Allow us to dribble the ball, we can’t fast break all the time,” Pimentel said.

Traditionally, senators deliberated the national budget until the wee hours to ensure its timely passage and prevent a re-enacted budget for the coming year.

“I could suggest that in the earlier part of the deliberation, the huge and critical agencies are there... then the other executive offices can be at the end,” Pimentel said. “But if it was possible from the very start, we should not cram because I admit that the quality of intervention would go down.”