THE P5.268T General Appropriations Bill containing the P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023 was approved on third and final reading at the Senate.
On Wednesday, with 21 affirmative votes, no negative votes, and no abstention, the budget measure was approved barely a week after the chamber ended their debates and interpellation on the proposed budget for all government agencies.
The 2023 GAB was passed on second and third reading on the same day with amendments introduced by the Senate Committee on Finance and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Senators Risa Hontiveros and Jinggoy Estrada.
Since the measure was earlier certified as urgent by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the Senate is allowed to approve the bill on second and third reading on the same day.
In a statement, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sonny Angara said the bicameral conference committee meetings will start on Friday to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Assigned as members of the bicameral conference committee Angara, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senators Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar, Ronald dela Rosa, Sherwin Gatchalian, Bong Go, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Francis Tolentino, JV Ejercito, Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, and Jinggoy Estrada.
