Claims of blank items in 2025 budget bicam report misleading

I have recently encountered a plethora of comments, opinions, and news articles across different media outlets, social media platforms, and bloggers’ channels discussing the alleged blank items in the 2025 national budget. What specifically do they mean by “blank items”?

As outlined in Rule XII, Section 34 of the Senate Rules, the Senate President appoints members of the Senate panel in the conference committee, known as conferees. The authority granted to Senate conferees is focused on resolving disagreements between the two chambers. They are not permitted to remove provisions or language that have been agreed upon by both the House of Representatives and the Senate to introduce entirely new provisions. However, conferees do have a significant degree of flexibility, except in cases where the disagreements are very specific.

Once an agreement is reached on a bill, the conference committee staff will draft a conference report. The report details the modifications made and provides explanations for each side’s decisions. The report is then presented to the floor for approval. Final approval of the bill is achieved when both houses agree on the conference report, along with any amendments made to resolve disagreements.

Upon closer examination, I realized that the term “blank items” was likely being misapplied to the bicameral report. I believe that the concerns about “blank items” actually pertain to the General Appropriations bill (GAB), which is attached to the bicameral report. The GAB is the proposed law that outlines the government’s budget for a specific fiscal year, and certain provisions within the bill may have been left unspecified or “blank.” The bicameral report, on the other hand, contains the findings and recommendations of the bicameral conference committee regarding the GAB.

The bicameral report, GAB, and General Appropriations Act (GAA) are integral components of the budgeting process. The GAB is deliberated upon by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with each chamber providing input and suggestions to ensure that the bill aligns with their respective priorities and concerns.

Once the House and Senate reach an agreement on the GAB, a bicameral conference committee is convened to iron out any remaining differences and finalize the bill. The committee is composed of representatives from both the House and Senate. The bicameral report, which contains the committee’s findings and recommendations regarding the GAB, is then produced.

Simply put, the bicameral report is a comprehensive document that outlines the agreed-upon provisions, allocations, and amendments to the GAB. This report is the culmination of the bicameral conference committee’s deliberations and negotiations, and provides a detailed account of the committee’s findings and recommendations. As such, the bicameral report is not intended to contain “blank items” or unspecified provisions, except when it refers to the GAB itself. Any claims of “blank items” in the bicameral report are likely misinformed or misleading, and may be referring to the GAB instead.

The bicameral report, along with the attached copy of the GAB, is typically reported to both the Senate and the House of Representatives for approval. Once both chambers have approved the bicameral report, the GAB is enacted into law, and then signed by the President, becoming the GAA.

One of the most important questions to consider is whether the bicameral report along with the attached reviewed appropriation bill has been submitted to both houses for approval. If this has been done, it is unlikely that there will be any blank items in the appropriation bill. However, if this has not been completed, then the situation must be addressed differently.

It is concerning that lawmakers, especially those involved in reviewing the GAB and drafting the bicameral report, have differing opinions on the issue of blank items.

REGINALD B. TAMAYO,

Marikina City