Escudero: Senate to tackle House adjustment of OVP budget | ABS-CBN
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Escudero: Senate to tackle House adjustment of OVP budget
Escudero: Senate to tackle House adjustment of OVP budget
Senate President Francis Escudero answers questions during a forum with the members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) in Manila on September 24, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
Senate President Francis Escudero answers questions during a forum with the members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) in Manila on September 24, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA -- Senate President Francis Escudero says they are going to take up the adjustments made by the House of Representatives to the 2025 Office of the Vice President (OVP) budget worth over P2 billion.
MANILA -- Senate President Francis Escudero says they are going to take up the adjustments made by the House of Representatives to the 2025 Office of the Vice President (OVP) budget worth over P2 billion.
"Ang ite-take up namin na issue is what to do with the proposal of the House with respect to the OVP budget. Do we agree, do we add, do we subtract sa budget? 'Yun lang ang pinaguusapan di ba? Pero yung mga issue sa likod noon tapos na 'yun sa committee kasi nagde-defend na ng budget ay miyembro ng Senado na in this case Senator Grace (Poe) will be defending the budget not the vice president," Escudero said.
"Ang ite-take up namin na issue is what to do with the proposal of the House with respect to the OVP budget. Do we agree, do we add, do we subtract sa budget? 'Yun lang ang pinaguusapan di ba? Pero yung mga issue sa likod noon tapos na 'yun sa committee kasi nagde-defend na ng budget ay miyembro ng Senado na in this case Senator Grace (Poe) will be defending the budget not the vice president," Escudero said.
The House slashed the OVP's budget by more than half, leaving just a little over P700 million from the original proposal following allegations of fund misuse. The Constitution mandates that the annual budget should emanate from the House but the Senate may concur or make changes.
The House slashed the OVP's budget by more than half, leaving just a little over P700 million from the original proposal following allegations of fund misuse. The Constitution mandates that the annual budget should emanate from the House but the Senate may concur or make changes.
Escudero maintained the OVP's budget was not tackled during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council meeting on Wednesday.
Escudero maintained the OVP's budget was not tackled during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council meeting on Wednesday.
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Escudero also doesn't see why the Senate should recall the budget of the OVP since Vice President Sara Duterte showed up at the Senate's hearing. The VP has skipped the House's hearings, leaving the fate of her budget to the House. The VP has also states members of the House have launched political attacks against her.
Escudero also doesn't see why the Senate should recall the budget of the OVP since Vice President Sara Duterte showed up at the Senate's hearing. The VP has skipped the House's hearings, leaving the fate of her budget to the House. The VP has also states members of the House have launched political attacks against her.
"Iyung issue nasa Kamara wala naman sa Senado dahil dito nag-attend siya, sumagot ng tanong at naaprubahan yung budget niya sa plenaryo. Sponsor na magtatanggol nung panukalang batas, nung budget. Pero iintayin namin yung bersyon ng kamara. We cannot file, Senator Grace cannot file the committee report regarding the 2025 budget until we receive the GAB, the General Appropriations Bill emanating from the House. We expect that during the recess," Escudero said.
"Iyung issue nasa Kamara wala naman sa Senado dahil dito nag-attend siya, sumagot ng tanong at naaprubahan yung budget niya sa plenaryo. Sponsor na magtatanggol nung panukalang batas, nung budget. Pero iintayin namin yung bersyon ng kamara. We cannot file, Senator Grace cannot file the committee report regarding the 2025 budget until we receive the GAB, the General Appropriations Bill emanating from the House. We expect that during the recess," Escudero said.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri rejected calls by congressmen for Duterte to resign after she skipped the House of Representatives deliberations on her 2025 office budget.
"Hindi naman tama siguro yan. I think that's her prerogative she was elected by 31 million Filipinos. As she said, she will respect the decision of Congress on her budget. We leave it at that," Zubiri told the Kapihan sa Senado.
"I think the appetite though among the Senators is to increase her budget a bit sa usap usapan sa lounge," he added. "The appetite of the Senators ha, I'm not saying me, I'm saying the discussions on the lounge is to increase ng konti yung budget ng OVP."
Escudero also said that the rumored impeachment of Duterte was not discussed during the LEDAC. For his part, Senator Ronald dela Rosa maintained that the Senate has the final say on the impeachment.
Escudero also said that the rumored impeachment of Duterte was not discussed during the LEDAC. For his part, Senator Ronald dela Rosa maintained that the Senate has the final say on the impeachment.
"Dito sa aming level sa Senado, that is beyond our control. Kung gagawin talaga ng Lower House yan, that's their job, kanila yan. Pero pagdating dito sa amin, kami rin masusunod kasi kami naman ang magja-judge diyan sa impeachment na 'yan, kung maimpeach ang vice president. We will be sitting as judges then the ball will be in our hands. 'Pag makarating sa amin we will shoot the ball when we have the ball. If the ball is passed to me, I will shoot the ball," Dela Rosa said.
"Dito sa aming level sa Senado, that is beyond our control. Kung gagawin talaga ng Lower House yan, that's their job, kanila yan. Pero pagdating dito sa amin, kami rin masusunod kasi kami naman ang magja-judge diyan sa impeachment na 'yan, kung maimpeach ang vice president. We will be sitting as judges then the ball will be in our hands. 'Pag makarating sa amin we will shoot the ball when we have the ball. If the ball is passed to me, I will shoot the ball," Dela Rosa said.
Escudero instead bared that the LEDAC was fruitful, forging agreements and understandings while giving clarity on many proposals such as the bill creating the Department of Water, the EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) amendments, and the UHC (Universal Health Care) amendments .
Escudero instead bared that the LEDAC was fruitful, forging agreements and understandings while giving clarity on many proposals such as the bill creating the Department of Water, the EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) amendments, and the UHC (Universal Health Care) amendments .
"I'd like to say that increased coordination between the House and the executive through the Office of the Executive Secretary has helped a lot and I'm very optimistic and confident that vetos or returns to the bicam for a second, a third, a fourth time around will be avoided henceforth," Escudero said.
"I'd like to say that increased coordination between the House and the executive through the Office of the Executive Secretary has helped a lot and I'm very optimistic and confident that vetos or returns to the bicam for a second, a third, a fourth time around will be avoided henceforth," Escudero said.
Escudero also said that the President greenlit the restoration of the mandatory ROTC bill with amendments while they await the amendments from the Department of Finance on Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension reform.
Escudero also said that the President greenlit the restoration of the mandatory ROTC bill with amendments while they await the amendments from the Department of Finance on Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension reform.
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