House to begin plenary debate on 2024 budget on Sept. 19

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17) — The House of Representatives is set to start the plenary debates on the proposed ₱5.768-trillion national budget for 2024 on Sept. 19 with the goal of approving it this month.

Plenary debates on Tuesday would be on the budgets of the Department of Finance, Department of Tourism, and National Economic and Development Authority, and some offices under the Office of the President (OP), according to a statement released by the office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Sunday.

On Wednesday, discussions would be on the budgets of the Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Elections, Commission on Human Rights, Department of National Defense, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, and more agencies under the OP.

The House will discuss the spending proposals of the judiciary, Department of Justice, Department of Agrarian Reform, Presidential Communications Office, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, and state universities and colleges on Thursday.

The budgets of Congress, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of Interior and Local Government, including their attached agencies, and funding support for several government corporations will be tackled on Friday.

Deliberations will continue on Sept. 25 when the budgets of the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and additional OP agencies will be tackled.

"Proposed appropriations for the OP, Office of the Vice President, Department of Education, Metro Manila Development Authority, and Dangerous Drugs Board and several other OP agencies, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be tackled on Sept. 26," according the office of Romualdez.

The last day of deliberation is Sept. 27, but sessions would continue until Sept. 29 if needed.

"To be taken up are funding proposals for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Transportation, Department of Budget and Management, and lump-sum appropriations," the office of Romualdez said.

“Lawmakers are on track to expeditiously approve the budget submitted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before Congress goes on recess later this month, and the bill would be sent to the Senate as soon as it is approved,” it added.

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