House OKs P1.5-trillion budget on final reading

Fresh from a three-week break, the House of Representatives on Monday voted 175-6 to approve on third and final reading the P1.541-trillion budget for next year.

House Speaker Prospero Nograles said there are no major amendments to Malacañang's proposed budget. "There are major movements, but I can't assure you in the bicameral conference," he said.

Some of those who voted against House Bill No. 6767 questioned the allegedly wrong priorities set by Malacañang in coming up with the budget, noting that a significant chunk of it is allotted for payments of interests on debts when it could be used for social services.

"The power to appropriate, the power to release and the power to use public funds judiciously and properly in line with our economic plans for national development--must begin somewhere, and this Congress is the place to begin," said Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson.

Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, meanwhile, proposed realignments to be used in the rehabilitation efforts in areas ravaged by the recent cyclones. He said up to P73 billion in the proposed 2010 budget can be realigned for reconstruction efforts.

The Senate and House last month approved a joint resolution allowing the use of some P12 billion in “un-programmed" funds under the 2009 budget for areas affected by the recent calamities.

The P1.541 trillion budget proposed by Malacañang for fiscal year 2010 is 8.1 percent higher than the P1.426 trillion budget in 2009.

The higher expenditure program for next year will fund increases in interest payments and salary adjustments due to the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law III.

Early this year, the Senate and the House approved an P11.3-billion supplemental budget for the automation of the 2010 polls.