The House Committee on Appropriations ended the deliberations on the proposed P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024 late Tuesday.

“We have taken significant strides towards finalizing the 2024 budget, which promises to be a landmark budget focused on national growth and the welfare of the Filipino people,” said Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, chairperson of the panel, in his Facebook page Wednesday.

Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, vice chairperson of the panel, said everything in the budget remained the same, meaning the P5.277 billion intelligence funds and P4.864 billion confidential funds are still included.

Co thanked his fellow lawmakers for their efforts in crafting next year’s national budget.

“I want to express my deep gratitude to my esteemed colleagues in the Appropriations Committee and the dedicated congressmen who have worked meticulously in reviewing and suggesting valuable inputs for the budget,” he said.

Quimbo said the plenary debates are scheduled for next week.

“We approved the bill at the committee level. That’s the committee report and we also approved the schedule on the plenary debates. So we are beginning September 19 and hopefully approving the bill on the third reading, September 27,” Quimbo said in an ambush interview.

Quimbo mentioned two changes made in the budget bill, including the validity of the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and a provision ensuring the independence of the Congress.

“There were two changes to the NEP (National Expenditures Program). One is on the validity of the budget. We changed it from one and a half years for MOOE to two years,” she said

“And then the other is on the, we put in a special provision on the chapter for Congress to ensure the independence of Congress... In other words, we removed a phrase that requires Congress to submit a report to the executive," she added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS