Fute ol bu
hqnds
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the proposed 2019 national budget
Rodrigo Duterte.
An
HOUSX appropriations cofimittee chailrrran Rep.
Rolando Andaya Jr, said they are leaving the fate of
t; president
' However, Andaya assured the president as well as
the public that the propos€d p3.7d7 trillion is constitu-
tional,legal and very transparen t.
. The.enrolled copy of thi 2019 Ceneral Appropria_
tiois Bi.ll has been tuansmifted to presid€nt
diterft foi
his study and signature.
. "Once macted into law,I assure the taxpaying p,rbUc
that fte nationalbudg,et for 2019 will pass nbt o'nlv the
tesl of con:titu tionality and legalitybui also oltranipar-
ency and accountability," Andaya said.
Earlier, Senate President Tito Soflo signed the bilJ
"with reservatioru" arrd wijl iusl let tlle lr"R;ident veto
the portiori to which members of the House made
changes ot insertions.
_ '"Yung ibang bagay na sinasabi ng ating Senate
President, nasa discretion na yun ng u"ting Jrhat ,ra
PanguJo. Kami lahit magbigiy ng "opinio"n, it is the
l'resrderll thal decides on this matter,,, Aidaya said.
The approval of the budget had hit an irnpasse
because the hso chambers aie pushing for difierent
budgeting systerns.
The House wan ts Line-item budgeting system while
^
5enate proposes lump sum budgeting.
Accord ing to Anddya, the HlousJof Represen ta_
tives wo rked d ouble-time for several moir ths in
cortuniltee meetings, plenary session, bicameral -
conterence meetings to ensure lhat laxpayers
-
from aJl legislative djstricts will get a fair shaie of
the budget.
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"Ily'e tbok time to examine the budget in order td
eipunge prograllu andprojectsnotvefte?by appropri-
a te governmerr I agencies and instifutional
mechinisn:rs,,,
he said-
"Ide may have locked horrLs with ssu tors on conten-
tious issues, but both sides chose'to work on our
commonalities rather than wash predous time over
orsagreemo ts. I hat is demooacy atwork,,.he added.
--$,ndqra-erpressed confidence that rhe product o(
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this democra Lic process will help improve thi economic
situation and uplift U1e lives of ordinary Filipinos.
pagc z