MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. certified as urgent on Wednesday the enactment of House Bill No. 8980, or Fiscal Year 2024 General Appropriations Bill, to ensure the funding of different government programs and projects next year.

“Pursuant to the provisions of Article VI, Section 26 (2) of the 1987 Constitution, I hereby certify to the necessity of the immediate enactment of House Bill No. 8980, entitled: ‘An Act Appropriating Funds for the Operation of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines from January One to December Thirty-One, Two Thousand and Twenty-Four,’” the President said in a September 20-letter to House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“In order to address the need to maintain continuous government operations following the end of the current fiscal year (FY), to expedite the funding of various program, projects, and activities for FY 2024, and to ensure budgetary preparedness that will enable the government to effectively perform its Constitutional mandate,” the letter noted.

Earlier, Romualdez said that their deliberation on the 2024 national budget is ahead of schedule and the budget will be approved in time for the President’s signature before Christmas.

“We hope that he will be able to sign it before Christmas para ‘yung sa ginagawa po natin binibigyan natin ang ating mga kapatid sa Senado sufficient time to review and to actually introduce amendments para maba-bicam natin by end of November, December in time for the signing of the President before Christmas,” he said in an interview after the 3rd LEDAC meeting in Malacañang. (PND)