2013 budget to be approved on time - Drilon

MANILA, Philippines - Senate committee on finance chairman Franklin Drilon expressed confidence that the P2-trillion proposed national budget for 2013 would be approved before the end of the year just as it was during the previous two years.

Drilon on Saturday said the early submission by the Department of Budget and Management of the general appropriations bill would allow Congress to go over the details and send it to Malacañang before yearend.

The committee on finance has already started preparing for budget deliberations with its ongoing review of the current budgets of the various government agencies.

The committee has already gone over the budgets, programs and projects of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education and Department of Health to see if the funds are being used efficiently and effectively.

Next week, the committee would review the budgets of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of National Defense.

“I commend the early submission of the 2013 budget to Congress which shows that this government is committed to fast-track its infrastructure and social services programs next year,” Drilon said.

“In the past two years, we were able to pass the General Appropriations Acts before Dec. 31 of each year and if we were able to do it then, I am confident that we can do it again with the cooperation of everyone,” he added.