MANILA, Philippines – The House committee on appropriations is set to begin deliberations on the proposed P3.77-trillion budget for 2018 on Monday, July 31. 

Committee chairperson and Davao City 1st District Representative Karlo Nograles said his panel aims to finish the deliberations by August 30.  

Plenary debates on the budget are eyed between September 8 to 14, with lawmakers expecting to transmit the approved version of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) to the Senate by September 21. 

“It will be a hectic August for the committee as we aim to finish and file our committee report on the proposed 2018 General Appropriations Act by August 30,” said Nograles.  

“We will be fast just like last year without sacrificing prudence in the use of public funds,” he said. 

President Rodrigo Dutuerte submitted the proposed 2018 budget to the House on the day of his second State of the Nation Address. The budget is 12.4% higher than last year’s programmed expenditures and also represents 21.6% of the projected gross domestic product for next year. 

A bulk of the proposed budget was allotted for infrastructure and education. 

On July 31, the first agencies scheduled to defend their proposed budget before the appropriations committee are members of the Development Budget Coordination Committee, including the Department of Budget and Management, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Finance, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Nograles said lawmakers are hoping Duterte would be able to sign the 2018 GAA into law by November 15. – Rappler.com