A veteran solon hailed presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on his plan to work closely with the incoming 19th Congress for the immediate passage of the 2023 national budget.

Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said this clearly shows Marcos’ earnest support for economic recovery and sends a strong signal that the new administration is firmly determined to rebuild the country’s economy.

“The newly-elected president knows that a lot of work needs to be done and the challenges are rife. So deciding to work closely with Congress is the right step towards accomplishing his goals and targets for our economy to recover,” Ungab said.

“Presumptive President Marcos is right when he said that he looks forward to the new budget for 2023 to already include his priority programs and projects, among which is the proposed stimulus fund,” he added.

Allies of Presumptive President Marcos Jr. are reportedly preparing a stimulus program, to be called the “Bayan Bangon Muli” (BBM) program, being planned as his administration’s pandemic response, similar to the Bayanihan packages of the Duterte administration.

According to Ungab, there is a slim chance of using the current budget or the 2022 budget to support the proposed stimulus fund.

However, Ungab noted that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) can help identify any unused appropriations or possible savings to support the stimulus fund considering that it might be impossible now for the Treasurer of the Philippines to certify new sources of funds or revenue.

He also stressed that it would be prudent and best to wait for the economic roadmap of the incoming administration, as formulated by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), through its new Secretary.

“This roadmap may take into consideration the proposed stimulus package, so that the necessary funding will already be included in the investment-led expenditure,” Ungab said.

Ungab stressed that the most important action that needs to be promptly done is the preparation and updating of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan for 2023 – 2028, since it will become the basis of budgeting the expenditures in the coming months and years of the BBM administration. By Jester Manalastas

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Jester P. Manalastas