The Senate on Wednesday approved on the third and final reading the Php 5.26 trillion national budget for 2023.
With 21 affirmative votes, no negative votes, and zero abstentions, House Bill 4488 or General Appropriations Bill (GAB) was approved after the second reading.
Senator Sonny Angara, the chairperson of the Committee on Finance and sponsor of HB 4488, said the Senate’s 2023 budget version reduced the confidential funds of several government agencies and realigned it to the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).
The following agencies whose confidential funds were reduced:
- Php 100 million from the Department of Education
- Php 5 million in the Department of Foreign Affairs
- Php 19.2 million in the Department of Justice
- Php 2 million in the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
- Php 6 million in other executive offices
- Php 20 million in Office of the Ombudsman
A total of Php 152 million confidential funds was slashed.
“All within the agency. We did not want to deprive the agencies of their budget but placed on other maintenance and other operating expenses,” Angara said.
Under the 2023 budget, he also assured that some vulnerable sectors would still receive financial aid or ayuda.
“Ngayon pili na sektor na ang bibigyan ng tulong at naka base ito sa bigat ng pangangailangan at naging epekto ng pandemya sa kanila,” Angara added.
The Bicameral conference committee — composed of House members and Senate members — is set to meet on Friday to consolidate the differences in the two chambers’ budget bill versions.
Senators who are designated as members in the committee are Senators Angara, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, Bato Dela Rosa, Win Gatchalian, Bong Go, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Francis Tolentino, Mark Villar, JV Ejercito, Alan Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, and Jinggoy Estrada.
The House of Representatives approved the GAB on the third and final reading last Sept. 28.
