Marathon hearings for the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 starts today in the House of Representatives, with House leaders airing confidence that deadlines for its swift passage will be met.
House members will observe a five-day work week starting Monday, two days more than their usual work scheduled when not deliberating on the budget bill.
Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab will preside over the initial briefing of the proposed budget to be conducted by the Development Budget Coordination Committee, the interagency body that sets the overall economic targets expenditure levels and the 2020 national expenditure cost.
Heading the appropriation panel for the second time since the 15th Congress, Ungab underscored the significance of the DBCC briefing to launch the budget study by the legislature.
“The DBCC briefing tomorrow is one of the most important aspects of the 2020 national budget. The macroeconomic assumptions to be outlined will help guide our policy makers and business sector to craft plans based on the government projections on economic growth, price stability, among others, including government expenditures, as well as general directions for the coming fiscal year,” said Ungab.
The DBCC is composed of the Department of Budget and Management, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Finance, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Expected to participate in the DBCC briefing are DBM acting Secretary Wendel Avisado, NEDA Secretary Ernesto Pernia, DoF Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and BSP Gov. Dr. Benjamin Diokno. (Ben Rosario)
