Enrile acts to prevent re-enacted budget

SENATE President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday moved to prevent a re-enacted national budget for next year with the failure of the bicameral panel to pass the appropriation measure Wednesday, the eve of Congress’ Christmas break.

"I’m thinking of proposing a provision that the budget shall retroact on the first day of the year so that there will be no question about the application of the budget from January 1 to 30, 2009," said Enrile, chairman of the Senate finance committee before he assumed the top Senate post last month.

Enrile said his proposal would erase suspicions or allegations of misappropriation by the government under a re-enacted budget.

He said the 2009 budget is practically approved in the bicameral level because the Senate and House contingents to the bicameral conference committee have already agreed on major points such as where the P50-million stimulus fund would be spent.

The Senate originally approved a P10 billion stimulus fund, sourced from debt payments. The Senate contingent led by Sen. Edgardo Angara, the new finance panel chair, and Sen. Loren Legarda moved to increase it to P50 million.

Enrile said the bicameral committee just needs to iron out the details of the proposed multi-billion stimulus fund.

Angara said the bicameral conference committee will resume meetings in the second week of January.

Congress resumes session on January 19.

Enrile said bulk of the stimulus fund would be allocated for research to bankroll studies on possible sources of fuels. — Dennis Gadil