Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 15) — President Ferdinand Marcos said Friday he would “immediately” sign the proposed 2024 spending amounting to ₱5.768 trillion once it is finalized.
“Malamang, oo (Probably, yes),” the chief executive said when asked during a chance interview if he would pass the budget before Christmas Day.
Marcos said he is waiting for the Bicameral Conference Committee report, which may arrive “in the coming days.”
“They’re putting the finishing touches on it. But certainly, the minute it is finalized, then, we will immediately of course pass it,” he said.
“We’ve been going through consultations through the whole of the year for that matter. And I will be very surprised if there are other issues that will suddenly arise that we hadn’t anticipated or hadn’t resolved. So I don’t see any problem to that,” Marcos added.
The planned budget was ratified and approved by both chambers of Congress on Monday.
READ: Congress ratifies bicam report on ₱5.7 trillion national budget for 2024
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.
