Malacañang expects 2019 budget passed this week

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark amid ongoing bicameral conference committee deliberations on the General Appropriations Act for 2019. (File Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Monday said that it expects the proposed PHP3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 to be passed this week.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark amid ongoing bicameral conference committee deliberations on the General Appropriations Act for 2019.

“I think so,” Panelo said when asked if Palace expects the budget to be passed within the week.

Panelo earlier said that Palace hopes the bicam to be “smooth-sailing.”

Meanwhile, Panelo said Palace will leave it to Congress to decide what to do with the PHP75 billion worth of flood control projects allegedly inserted into the 2019 national budget.

“Well, that’s the job of the Congress — to review, to amend, to restructure whatever,” Panelo said.

He, however, said that the amount has been “redistributed” to certain departments.

“I don’t think that was scrapped. From what I gather from Senator (Panfilo) Lacson, that was redistributed to certain departments. So, it’s still there,” Panelo said.

On January 21, the Senate approved on third and final reading the proposed 2019 budget after deleting the questionable PHP75-billion “insertion” from the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The House of Representatives approved their version of the bill on third and final reading on November 20.