Palace seeks cooperation of Congress in passing proposed P2.6 trillion budget for 2015

President Benigno S. Aquino III is shown with House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon, before delivering his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday (July 28). (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III has sought the cooperation of Congress in passing the proposed P2.6 trillion National Budget for 2015 which the Executive department will file soon.

“Sa unang araw po ng trabaho matapos ang SONA, ihahain natin sa Kongreso ang panukalang P2.

606 trillion na 2015 National Budget,” the President said in his fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday.

The administration drew up the 2015 budget with the participation of the public and using strategies that will ensure that funds are only allocated to projects and programs that will truly benefit the people, he said.

“Umaasa po tayo sa pakikiisa ng ating mga mambabatas na pagtibayin ito, bilang pangunahing instrumento sa paglikha ng pagkakataon para sa sambayanang Pilipino,” he added.

The President also said that because of the Supreme Court’s decision on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), the Executive department will ask Congress for supplemental budget for 2014 to make sure that ongoing projects funded by the program are completed.

He also sought the cooperation of Congress in passing a joint resolution that will clarify definitions and issues that are the center of debates on the DAP.

“Kasabay po nito, nananawagan din tayo sa pakikiisa ng Kongreso, upang maipasa ang isang Joint Resolution na maglilinaw sa mga depinisyon at kaisipang tila pinagtatalunan pa—at iba pang mga usaping kayo lang sa lehislatura, bilang mga nagsulat ng batas, ang makakapaglinaw,” he said.