TH t TRSDAY AUGUST 22, 2OL9

House leader assures marathon budget debates

By MaricelV.€ruz
THE House. of Representatives will
hold marathon sessions,"both in the
plenary and committee level, to en-
sure the passage of the P4.l-trillion
national'budget for 2020 before the
year ends, Majority Leader Martin
Romualdez said Wednesday.
"The House members are in fulI
agreement that we all ha'ie to work
day and night, from Monday to Fri-
day, tg make sure thatwe apProve the
2020 General Appropriations Act by
October this year," Romualdez said.
"This will give the Senate amPle
time to scrutirrize the budget
proved by the House- Hopefully,
we can have a bicameral conference
ear:ly December, then approve the
2020 national budget before the year
ends," he added.
Romualdez said the House will
move its plenary session frorn 3 p.m.
to 5 p.m. every dayto rnake room for
ap- four committee hearings scheduled
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by the House committee on appropriations
for budget deliberations.
"We will hold four budget hearings
daily at the committee level almost simul-
taneously. The hearings are scheduled at
9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., I p.m., and 1:30 P.m',"
the House leader said.
"House members may have to shuttle
between hearings in order to maximize
their participation in the budget delibera-
tions. I am thankful that all the House
members agreed to this sohedule, which
is really a tall order," he added.
Romualdez noted that-llouqe leaders
also decided to extend thi sesii<in days
in the House past the regular Monday to
Wednesday schedule to allow exhaustive
deliberation of the budget at the plenary
level.
' o''We are also extending our session days
beginning Sept.'12. We will hold plenary
sessions even on Thursdays and Fridays
to make sure that the national budget will
get the House memb,grs' nod on time," the
House leader said.
Romualdez said he had also approved
'the request of House committee on ap-
propriations chairman and Davao City
Rep. Isidro Ungab to allow the holding
of committee hearings on the budget
even after the plenary proceedings have
started at 5 p.m.
"This means that the appropriations
committee may hold budget hearings at
the committee level simultaneous with the
plenary debates on other pending bills and
resolutions," Romualdez said.
"This will ensure that plenary delibera-
'tions on other pending issues, such as the
vital revenue rneasures, will push through
even as we are working round the clock on
the budget !i11," he added.
Under Section 7l of the House Rules,
congressmen are deemed present in a
House session if they are attending commit.
tee meetings authorized by the House com-
mittee on rules, which is currently chaired
by Romualdez as majority leader.
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