Congress ratifies bicam report on ₱5.7 trillion national budget for 2024

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) — The two chambers of Congress on Monday approved and ratified the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the proposed ₱5.768 trillion national budget for next year.

Hours earlier, the bicam committee reconciled differences in the 2024 budget versions of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Senators first ratified the bicam committee report on the budget bill, followed by the House.

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel was the lone vote against the ratification when the report was submitted for plenary approval at the Senate.

Before the approval, Pimentel raised concerns about the budgeting system, including the ₱12.5 billion increase for the House and the ₱450 billion hike for unprogrammed appropriations in the bicam.

At the House, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and ACT Teacher's Party-list Rep. France Castro opposed the ratification.

In her manifestation after the chamber's ratification, Brosas argued the proposed 2024 budget «can't even address» food security and subsidy to rice farmers. She mentioned other issues including the increased amount of unprogrammed funds.

For her part, Castro said House members did not have the chance to scrutinize the details of the report.

The General Appropriations Bill 2024 will be sent to Malacañang for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s signature.

Marcos is expected to sign the proposed 2024 spending plan before his trip to Japan on Dec. 16 to 18, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno previously told reporters.

No secret funds in final Bicam version

The final version of the proposed 2024 budget from the bicam does not include confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for civilian agencies, including the Department of Education and the Office of the Vice President, Senate finance committee chairman Sonny Angara earlier said.

According to the senator, the bicam version finalized the reallocation of the initially proposed confidential and intelligence funds to security agencies.

READ: Congress to reallocate intel, confidential funds to security agencies

Angara said the Philippine Coast Guard was given an additional ₱2 billion while a certain amount was also