Press Release
November 9, 2008

Senate resumes sessions tomorrow;
Villar assures early approval of 2009 budget

After a month-long break, the Senate resumes its session tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 10, with the enactment of the proposed P1.415 trillion national budget for 2009 listed in the priority agenda.

Senate President Manny Villar said he expected the chamber to approve the draft 2009 budget before the Christmas break, noting that the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, has been holding marathon public budget hearings since the first week of September.

"The early approval of the proposed 2009 budget reflects our commitment to put in place the fiscal guidelines that will ensure smooth operation of government next year," Villlar said, noting that the Senate has maintained a record-setting achievement in terms of enacting the national budget on time in the last two years. Before sitting as Senate President, Villar was chairman of the Finance Committee.

Villar said the possible resumption of the Senate fertilizer scam investigation and the much-awaited testimony of former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante would not get in the way of the early approval of the 2009 budget.

Villar, also the Nacionalista Party president, said the Senate will also prioritize the following bills: The bill extending the life of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the National Tourism Act, the New Child Pornography Act, Magna Carta of Women, Fiscal Incentives Rationalization Act, Comprehensive Immunization and Vaccination Act, the Health and Education Acceleration Corporation bill, Involuntary Disappearance bill, the bill creating the Commission on Missing Persons and amendments to the law governing the Commission on Human Rights.

Villar added the Senate will work on legislative measures which will help improve the condition of overseas Filipino workers. These are: the bill creating the OFW hospital, the bill providing for comprehensive credit assistance to OFWs and the Repatriation Fund Act authored by Villar.

While assuring the public of early passage of the budget, Villar stressed that the senators would scrutinize the proposed measure to see to it that no dubious funds will be included in the P1.4 trillion budget proposal.

"As guardians of public funds, we intend to see to it that the draft budget will pass through a fine-toothed comb to make sure that no public money will go to wasteful and questionable projects," Villar said. "We will make sure that the Senate will pass a budget that is lean, public service-oriented and will benefit the poorest of the poor."

Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said he would consult with his fellow Senators tomorrow on whether the Senate should reopen the fertilizer scam probe.

Villar noted that finance committee started budget hearings as early as Sept. 8, simultaneously with the House budget deliberations. The Senate president said he expected Enrile's committee to report out the budget for floor deliberations on the first two weeks of December.

"Based on our timeline projections, the Senate will have the budget ready for the President's signature before the Congress goes on its December recess," Villar said.

Last year, the approval of the 2008 budget was approved early because the Senate gave way to its passage by suspending a number of morning committee hearings to devote its time to budget deliberation hearings.

Villar said he was proud of the Senate's recent legislative accomplishments, noting that the chamber passed a total of 184 measures on second and third reading before it adjourned last October.

Villar reiterated his vow to the Filipino people that the Senate will again prove its unwavering commitment to fulfill its constitutional mandate by pushing for an early approval of next year's budget.

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