Dennis Gaviola

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Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A third House member claimed on Thursday that that there were blank items in the bicameral conference committee report for the proposed 2025 national budget, corroborating the claim of two of her colleagues at the House of Representatives.House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro said she received a physical copy of the bicam report only minutes before it was ratified last December 11.“Doon sa na-receive naming copy, ay ganun nga, mayroon ngang mga blangko…15 minutes before the ratification, saka lang kami binigyan ng physical copy noong bicam report,” Castro told reporters.She, however, has not seen a copy of the enrolled bill, which was forwarded to the President for his signature.“Hindi ko na alam kung mayroong blangko ‘yung enrolled bill. ‘Yun ‘yung natapos na doon sa bicam. So, hindi kami privy, hindi namin nakita. pero ‘yung sinasabing bicam na pina-ratify, may mga ilang blanko. Pero ‘yung sinubmit kay president… wala kaming alam doon kung mayroong blangko ‘yan,” Castro said.Still, the lawmaker finds issue with filling in the blanks in the bicam report after it has been ratified.“Tingin ko may mali ‘yung ni-ratify na may blangko doon na mga amount. Kasi dapat ‘yung ni-ratify, kumpleto na ‘yun. Wala nang babaguhin doon… Hindi naman pwedeng gawin ng Presidente na siya ‘yung mag-fill in ng amount na blangko sa ilang items. (23:29) Pinag-aaralan namin… ‘yung kung idudulog namin ito sa Supreme Court,” Castro said.Kabataan Party List Representative Raoul Manuel said on Wednesday that he spotted a total of 12 blank items affecting the amounts in nine agriculture-related programs, activities and projects, and two blanks affecting unprogrammed appropriations. Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab also previously claimed that the bicam report for the proposed 2025 budget had blank items.Some lawmakers disputed this, with House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Representative Francisco Paolo Ortega V suspecting that the allegation is politically motivated.“Baka gusto nilang ma-restore yung mga budget na na-slash. Politics, it&#x27;s really about politics. It works for them kung may controversy, it works for them kung may problema,” he said.House Committee on Appropriations member and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro challenged those questioning the bicam report to raise it before the Supreme Court.“Let those interested people file the necessary petition or action in the Supreme Court. Tayo naman ay napakataas ng tiwala sa ating hudikatura. I believe that they will resolve it strictly in compliance with our existing rules and laws,” she said.

A third House member claimed on Thursday that that there were blank items in the bicameral conference committee report for the proposed 2025 national budget, corroborating the claim of two of her colleagues at the House of Representatives.

A third House member claimed on Thursday that that there were blank items in the bicameral conference committee report for the proposed 2025 national budget, corroborating the claim of two of her colleagues at the House of Representatives.

Castro on bicam report for 2025 budget: 'Mayroon ngang mga blangko'

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Castro on bicam report for 2025 budget: 'Mayroon ngang mga blangko'

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 23, 2025 06:57 PM PHT

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