Expect 'full debate' on OP, OVP budgets on House floor: lawmaker

MANILA — House lawmakers will still debate the proposed budgets of the Office of the President (OP) and the Office of the Vice President (OVP) during the plenary deliberations next week, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said Sunday.

Quimbo, the senior vice chairperson of the House appropriations committee, said that extending "parliamentary courtesy" to the two offices during the panel's hearing did not mean that the those budgets have been approved.

"It doesn't mean that we will not subject their budgets to debate. That's not what we mean. Pagdating sa plenaryo, magkakaroon po tayo ng full debate on their budgets," Quimbo clarified on TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

The House appropriations committee approved the budgets of the OP and the OVP for 2024 — P10.7 billion and P2.385 billion respectively — with no questions asked, citing parliamentary courtesy. 

Their proposed confidential fund budgets were also left intact despite questions raised by opposition lawmakers. 

"Iba nang question 'yung kung paano ba 'yan nagamit, etc. 'Yon, pag-usapan pa natin pagdating sa plenaryo, hindi pa natin alam 'yon. 'Yun pa 'yung mga tanong na hintayin pa natin ang mga sagot," Quimbo said.

"If you recall hindi naman natin narinig ang mga sagot noong committee level because we extended parliamentary courtesy to offices 'yung OP at saka 'yung OVP."

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On Wednesday, the committee terminated its deliberations on the proposed 2024 national budget that started last August 10.

The panel is preparing to consolidate all recommendations and amendments for submission to plenary deliberations that will start on September 19 and are expected to be completed by the end of the month.

The House of Representatives plans to approve the national budget on final reading before it goes on break from September 30 to November 5.

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