House Appropriations committee concludes budget deliberations for proposed 2024 GAA
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00:00 The budget hearings at the House has come to a close with the House Committee on Appropriations chair calling curtains after weeks of painstaking reviews and interviews and showing a sigh of relief as the Commission on Higher Education did the closing act on today's proceedings.
00:16 Our Melalee Lasmodas tells us more.
00:20 After several weeks of deliberations with various officials from different government agencies, the House Committee on Appropriations proudly announced the conclusion of their budget briefings for the proposed 2024 General Appropriations Act.
00:36 Last night, officials from the Commission on Higher Education were the last to face the committee proceedings. In a statement, Appropriations Panel Chair Elizalde Co. commended his esteemed colleagues for their diligent scrutiny of the proposed budget.
00:51 He assured having made significant strides toward finalizing the 2024 budget which is primarily focused on national growth and improving the welfare of Filipinos.
01:01 But after budget briefings, the question is, what's next?
01:07 We will have an execom on Thursday. So the schedule will be approved and hopefully we will report.
01:17 So we started August 10 and thank God we finished on time. And we are hoping that the plenary debate will start on September 19 and hopefully we will finish on September 27. So that's our schedule.
01:35 As of now, House Speaker Martin Numualdez has the following directives.
01:40 First of all, we need to finish on time. That's really number one. Because we don't want to delay. The most important thing we don't want to happen is the re-enactment of the budget.
01:52 And number two, we need scrutiny. That's very important.
01:57 With the plenary debates up next week, do the lawmakers have agencies in mind for budget reduction or augmentation?
02:04 It's hard to speak at this point. Of course, it might be a waste of time. And at the same time, there are plenary debates. So let's not judge at this point in time. Because the delay is really going to happen in the plenary debates.
02:28 Melales Moras for the Nation.
02:30 (upbeat music)