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By Maricel V. Cruz Reporter
The House Committee on
Appropriations will begin its hearings on the General Appropriations
Act of 2008 as soon as all the committee members are named.
Committee Chair Rep. Edcel Lagman
of Albay said the membership of his 115-man panel is expected to be
complete by today.
The budget proposed by the
administration is P1.227 trillion, the biggest ever submitted to
Congress for approval.
The first hearing is slated on
September 3, when discussions are expected to center on the
macroeconomic impact of the proposed capital outlay for next year.
The committee is expected to
invite President Arroyo’s economic managers, headed by Budget
Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. He was chair of the appropriations
committee before his appointment to the Cabinet.
Lagman said the committee will
conduct hearings on Thursdays and Fridays to meet their target of
approving the budget in plenary before the 14th Congress goes on its
first break on October.
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