The House of Representatives started its deliberation on the proposed P5.678 trillion 2024 national budget on Thursday, August 10, with a briefing from the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).

As such, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez gave a five-week deadline for the lower chamber to pass the proposed budget, assuring that the House would "diligently, swiftly, and resolutely" work on the country’s proposed national spending plan.

Romualdez said that by the first week of September, budget deliberations at the committee level should also be completed.

The House leader also emphasized the importance of rigorously scrutinizing the budget proposals of every government department and agency to ensure that resources are allocated and optimized to solve the country's economic and social concerns.

During his opening remarks on the first day of the budget deliberations, Romualdez said that he is confident that the House of Representatives can deliberate and pass the national budget on time and submit the same to the Senate.

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona were present in the plenary chamber.

They outlined the parameters used in developing the 2024 National Expenditure Program, the first fully planned budget under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration.