MANILA: Senate president-elect Franklin Drilon yesterday vowed that the proposed P2.3trn ($55bn) budget for next year will be passed by year-end to avoid the re-enactment of the current year’s budget.
Drilon welcomed the statement of some senators, who are expected to be part of the new Senate minority group, that they will scrutinise the 2014 budget, especially the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme.
“It has been scrutinised for the past three years and there is merit in passing it because it is to the public interest that the budget is in place on January 1 so that infrastructure programme for that particular year can be started during the summer,” Drilon said at the weekly Kapihan sa Senado.
Drilon is optimistic that the 2014 budget will be passed on time just like in the past three years during the Aquino administration.
The Philippine Star
