Belmonte, Abad to meet to discuss P23-B supplemental budget

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Photo courtesy of Cong. Regina Ongsiako-Reyes / YesMarinduque.com

MANILA – Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad are set to meet this week to discuss the proposed P23-billion supplemental budget for next year.

Both will be joined by Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II and appropriations committee chairman Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab.

According to Ungab, the Malacañang already submitted the additional budget proposal to the House last week.

The meeting, he noted, aims to “clarify certain issues, like funding for payables of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), projects for completion and new projects.”

Ungad also said that negative comments are expected given “that the 2015 (principal) budget is not yet finished.”

“We expect more questions on the proposed funding for the continuation of DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) projects,” he said.

The main budget for 2015 is still under Senate plenary discussion. Once the Senate approves of this, it will undergo conference committee who will revise and send it to the Senate and House for approval.

After the two approves, the final version will be sent for the President’s signature. Once signed, it will be enacted into the general appropriations law for 2015.