SENATE.GOV.PH

THE听DEPARTMENT听of Budget and Management (DBM)听is expected to submit the government鈥檚 2022 spending plan as scheduled on or before August 25 even with听Secretary Wendel E. Avisado鈥檚 sick leave, according to a lawmaker.听

Senator听Panfilo M. Lacson Sr., in a statement,听said听no delays are seen in the transmittal of the听2022 National Expenditure Program (NEP)听as online communication with the Budget chief is possible.听听听听

鈥淓ven with the physical absence of Secretary Wendel Avisado, the Department of Budget and Management has an abundance of competent and capable career undersecretaries and assistant secretaries who can avail of existing telecommunication technology for his guidance and direction,鈥澨齭aid Mr. Lacson, vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee.听听

鈥淚 thus cannot see any reason for the delay in the constitutionally mandated 30-day period submission of the National Expenditure Program to Congress, after President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 State of the Nation Address last July 26,鈥澨齢e said.听听

DBM听announced听Saturday that Mr.听Avisado听will be听on medical leave from August 2 to 13 following his recent bout with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).听Budget Undersecretary Tina Rose Marie L. Canada听will be temporarily in charge of the department.听听

Mr. Lacson said he also sees no impediment to holding听simultaneous public hearings on the budget in the House of Representatives鈥櫶鼳ppropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.听鈥斕鼳lyssa Nicole O. Tan听

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