Bicameral committee approves consolidated version of proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023

(Eagle News) — The bicameral committee has approved the proposed P5.268-trillion budget for 2023.

Senate finance panel chair Sonny Angara said included in the approved version was the P150-million confidential and intelligence fund allocated to the Department of Education.

He said, however, that the other appropriations for other agencies that were removed by the Senate were no longer restored.

Funding for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) was also restored.

This had been cut due to the task force’s accomplishment rate of two percent.

The bicameral committee reconciled the House of Representatives and Senate budget proposal versions 10 days since it first convened to discuss the national budget on Nov. 25.