Senate President Vicente Sotto III delivers his message during the launch of Lite Ferry 19 on Monday, March 25. /Irene R. Sino Cruz
CEBU CITY, Philippines–Senate President Vicente Sotto III will meet with the Senate finance committee headed by Senator Loren Legarda to discuss the ‘agreement’ on the 2019 national budget with their Lower house counterparts.
Sotto, who was in Cebu yesterday to attend the launching of Lite Ferry 19, said that he received a call from Legarda informing him about this development. The Senate president said he would meet with Legarda and other committee members tonight so they could discuss the details.
The houses of Congress had disagreement over what version of the general appropriations bill will be sent to Malacañang for the President’s signature.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had proposed a P3. 757 trillion budget for 2019.
Sotto said all senators have pushed for the transmittal of the 2019 General Appropriations Bill that was ratified by the bicameral conference committee.
He specifically mentioned the budget for the Build, Build, Build projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which should not be revised by the Lower House. These projects have been identified and vetted by DPWH, Sotto said.
According to the DBM, the total budget for DPWH reached 555.7 billion./dcb