The Senate, the House resume sessions after a one-month break; the budget is the best

CONGRESS resumes sessions Monday afafter a month’s recess, where Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero promised to speed up the passage of important bills including next year’s budget before they go to another recess on December 21.

“The budget bill is number 1 on our list, No. fibefore this Congress ends,” he told DZBB radio on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Senate Minerals Floor Leader Aquilino Martin “Koko” L. Pimentel III said lawmakers should ensure that the projects are important firm funding next year and don’t rely on random funds.

This comes after the Supreme Court last week blocked the transfer of P29.9 billion – the final tranche of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) P90 billion surplus – to the national Treasury.

“During the budget process, important projects should be prioritized by including them in the planned allocation of funds,” he said. BusinessWorld in a Viber message.

PhilHealth’s excess funds would have been used to support P203.1 billion worth of unplanned funds, which would have supported health, infrastructure and social welfare programs.

Economists earlier said this could cause delays in government projects they are not given specific funds.

Mr. Pimentel said the court did not consider it iefthe result of their ban on government projects as this is not relevant to the case fdivided into three groups. The member of parliament is part of the same group that questioned the transfer of the PhilHealth fund.

The Supreme Court’s Public Information Office said the ban was effective immediately. Oral arguments for the three consolidated cases challenging the transfer are scheduled for Jan. 14.

The Senate is expected to begin debates on the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget next year on November 6. It wants to approve the spending plan by the second week of December as soon as possible.

“The allocation of the budget must be led by prudent financial management,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “Having an inflated fund column that is not organized is not good financial management.”

Senator Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito earlier said his colleagues will ask PhilHealth to justify its big budget request next year after declaring P89.9 billion as surplus, while millions of poor Filipinos are struggling to pay their medical bills.

The Senate in August passed the final reading of a bill that will reduce PhilHealth premiums to 3.25% next year from 5% this year under the Universal Health Care Act.

It will cap PhilHealth premium contributions at 3.25% this year for those with a monthly income of P10,000 to P50,000, with an incremental increase of 0.25% each year.

“Pending projects and new infrastructure will not block the roads as the government may use other sources of funds such as new allocations,” said Terry L. Ridon, public investment analyst and organizer of Think tank InfraWatch PH, in a Messenger interview.

PhilHealth has started increasing its monthly contribution rate in 2019 to be able to sustain the benefits provided to its members. The contribution rate this year will remain at 5% from 2.75% five years ago.

It spent P75.8 billion in benefits payments last year, about half of which was P143 billion in 2022 and P140 billion in 2021, PhilHealth Vice President Eli Dino D. Santos told congressmen in May.

“The aim is to produce a national budget where everything is properly funded,” said Mr. It’s a joke.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Appointments is expected to hear the appointment of 48 officials, including newly appointed Cabinet members from the Marcos administration, said Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel in a statement.

The body will hold confirmation hearings for Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla, Jr., Commerce Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque and Public Service Commission Chairperson Marilyn B. Barua-Yap, he said. Fifteen generals and 30 Foreign Ministry officials will also be confirmed, Mr. Pimentel.

“We had 48 new nominees awaiting confirmation as of October 30,” said Mr. Pimentel, the assistant caucus leader.

Mr. Remulla, the younger brother of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, in October succeeded Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos, Jr., who is seeking a Senate seat in the 2025 midterm elections.

Ms. Roque takes over as acting secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry on August 2 after former Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual resigned on Aug. 1.

Mrs. Yap was sworn in as chairman of the Civil Service Commission on October 25 after former chairman Karlo Alexei B. Nograles resigned earlier that month to pursue his bid for mayor of Davao City. – John Victor D. Ordoñez again Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio