(Last of three parts)
In his last full year in office, President Duterte spent some time signing several bills into law, including his last budget law and the promised department that will cater to the needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
President Rodrigo Duterte (Malacañang pho
MANILA - The House of Representatives has carried the duty of crafting policies to shepherd the Philippines towards recovery from the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic. Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said the House's legislative work has been vital to the country's pandemic response, considering that its success lies in the policy choices of governments. Velasco said the lower chamber ensured the passage of vital pieces of legislation that would help the country navigate through and emerge stronger from the pandemic. "In 2020, we struggled to cope at the onset of the pandemic. In 2021, we began to rise and rebuild as a nation. We instituted reforms, revised plans, and implemented programs to ensure the health and safety of everyone as we keep the legislative mill running. We refused to be defined by hardship and loss," he said. Velasco particularly highlighted the timely enactment of the PHP5.024-trillion budget for 2022, which would be Congress' "single greatest opport
MANILA - The House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed PHP5.024-trillion national budget for 2022. During the plenary session, the chamber ratified the final version of the spending measure after the bicameral committee reconciled the disagreeing provisions earlier in the day. Following its ratification, the 2022 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) will be transmitted to Malacanang for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature. Among the amendments introduced in the final version of the proposed 2022 budget is the increase in the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)'s budget to PHP17.1 billion after it was initially cut down to PHP4 billion. House committee on appropriations chair Eric Yap said the proposed 2022 budget would be "crucial for our full recovery from the pandemic as a nation." "Rest assured that the government's battle strategy on health and nutrition, socia
MANILA - A leader of the House of Representatives on Tuesday said the proposed PHP5.024-trillion national budget for 2022 is on track with its enactment this month as the congressional bicameral conference committee began deliberation on the spending measure. Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera, a member of the House contingent to the bicameral conference committee tasked to draw up the final form of the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA), said the approval of the bicam report on the 2022 national budget is expected next week followed by its ratification before Congress adjourns its session for the Christmas break. "We hope the bicam would finish its task by next week so that Congress-the House of Representatives and the Senate-would ratify the report before adjourning next week," Herrera said in a statement. Herrera expressed confidence on the "able leadership" of both House Appropriations Committee Chair Eric Yap and Senate Finance Committee Chair Sonny Angara. &
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda (File photo) MANILA - The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday assured that the possibility of a reenacted budget in 2022 "is close to zero if not completely nil" following the early transmittal of the House-approved version to the Senate this week. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the ball is now in the Senate's court after the House submitted the final printed version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed PHP5.024-trillion national budget for 2022 to the upper chamber on October 25. "While the entire Senate majority's leadership is up for election, either for a new term or for new positions, I hope they will be able to set aside time away from campaigning to ensure that the budget will pass on time. I think they will," Salceda said in a statement. Salceda stressed how crucial it is to have the budget submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte on time, considering that the government cannot afford a r