MANILA – House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations acting chairperson Stella Quimbo has confirmed the presence of blank items in the bicameral report concerning the P6.325-trillion national budget for 2025.
In an interview with the media, Quimbo referred to these blanks as “typographical errors” while also noting that the necessary funding for these items had been determined prior to the report’s signing.
“Yes (there are blank items). Notwithstanding any typographical errors or any adjustments that are needed as a result of amendments, ay authorized naman po ang technical staff ng both House and Senate to make all of these necessary corrections,” Quimbo said.
“Lahat ng naging corrections ng ating technical staff, lahat po ‘yan ay ministerial na lang. Ibig sabihin calculator activity na lang po. Wala na po silang discretion, dahil lahat po ay decided na by the bicam members at the point of signing,” she added.
The omnibus motion included in the bicameral report grants the technical staff of both the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance the authority to make corrections for typographical, grammatical, and printing errors, as well as to implement necessary adjustments, including performance indicators and section numbers of general and special provisions resulting from the amendments.
Furthermore, it stipulates that in the event of any discrepancies between the bicameral conference committee report and the printed version of the bill, the printed version shall take precedence.
Quimbo, however, point out that there were no more blank items in the enrolled bill which was signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“It is legal, it is fully enforceable, it is valid. Dahil po ang ating enrolled bill, ibig sabihin po ang General Appropriations Bill na nanggaling po sa Congress, ay kumpleto, walang blank. So, that’s basically the reason for why ang naging basehan ng GAA ay kumpleto din,” she said.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao 3rd District representative Isidro Ungab raised the supposed “blank items” in the bicameral committee report of the 2025 budget.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said there were no blank items in the enrolled bill that was signed into law by President Marcos, while also saying that they are hands off on any issue regarding the “blank items.”/PN
