Palace thanks Congressmen for passing 2015 national budget

(Malacanang stock photo)

MANILA — Malacañang has expressed its gratitude to the House of Representatives for approving the P2.6-trillion 2015 national budget, which will now be sent to the Senate for deliberations.

“We’d like to thank the House of Representatives for the speedy resolution and passing of the 2015 budget in their chamber,” said Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda during Thursday’s press briefing at the Palace.

“Now, the process of budget approval goes to the Senate, and we also hope that the Senate will look into the budget, and we hope that before the year-end, the budget will be approved,” he added.

On criticisms that the administration has railroaded the approval of the 2015 budget, Lacierda said the proposed budget shows where the public funds are going.

“Our budget is designed to ensure the continuation of social services to our countrymen and also to make measures, improve the current infrastructure that we have, to make sure that we will have a better climate for investment,” he said.

He further said that the proposed budget was crafted so that the poorest of the poor will not be left behind.

“That’s our main goal, and we will continue to do so, despite all this noise from the Makabayan bloc,” Lacierda said.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the P2.606 trillion budget for 2015 on third and final reading, despite opposition from Party-list lawmakers.