SPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco yesterday said the House of Representatives is all set for the resumption of session today, with the immediate ratification of the P5.024-trillion proposed national budget for 2022 on top of the agenda.
“Our commitment is to ensure that the budget bill, which is focused on getting the Philippines back on the road towards full recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, reaches President Duterte’s desk before the yearend,” he said in a statement.
The Senate leadership earlier dismissed the possibility of a reenacted budget next year even if many of its members are preoccupied with precampaign activities for either reelection or election to higher office.
“We are glad that the Senate is on the same page as the House insofar as the national budget is concerned,” Velasco said. “With such assurance from the Senate leadership, we do not see any major stumbling block in having a ratified and enacted 2022 national budget by December.”
As soon as the Senate approves its own version of the 2022 budget, Velasco said the House will select its contingent to the bicameral conference committee meetings to reconcile the differing versions of the two chambers.
The House passed on third and final reading its version of the 2022 General Appropriations Bill last September 30 and transmitted it to the Senate on October 25.
The amendments that the House of Representatives has introduced to the P5.024 trillion proposed national budget for 2022 includes an additional P20 billion for the purchase of COVID-19 booster shots next year.
Rep. Eric yap (PL, ACT-CIS), chair of the committee on appropriations, earlier said the Department of Health is on top of the departments that will receive additional budgets based on the House-approved version of the GAB.
The DOH will handle the P20 billion for the procurement of booster shots, an additional P5 billion for medical assistance to indigent patients, and another P4.5 billion for special risk allowance (SRA) to all qualified health workers in both public and private hospitals.
At least four percent of next year’s budget or about P241 billion was allocated for COVID-19 response, including the P45.4 billion to cover the booster shots of 93.798 million fully-vaccinated Filipinos who might need to be inoculated again next year.
Velasco said the House will tackle various proposals seeking to either suspend or cut the excise taxes on petroleum products amid the rising cost in fuel prices.
“Congress would like to be informed of how fuel prices have shot up so fast in a matter of weeks, so that we can possibly come up with measures that will help mitigate this emerging obstacle towards our recuperation,” he said.
Velasco said the House has also adopted stricter health protocols amid the continuing threat of COVID-19 by implementing its online HousePass System as part of the regular health and security protocols.
Under this system, a health officer assigned to each department and office can nominate staff members who will be reporting for work daily. These personnel can then fill out online a digital copy of their health declaration form and, after which, will be assigned a QR code.
The code will then be scanned upon entering the House premises. Only authorized persons, as nominated by health safety officers, will be allowed inside the premises.
An antigen test will be administered to those physically reporting for work at the start of every week.
