MANILA, Philippines - The leadership of the House of Representatives welcomes Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s plan to submit the proposed P3.76-trillion national budget for 2018 on July 24 when President Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA). The 2018 budget prioritizes education and infrastructure development program. It will be the first time that the proposed budget will be submitted on the day the President delivers the SONA. The early submission of the budget will also give law-makers more time to study and dissect the proposed budget per department. The 2018 budget represents 21.6 percent of the projected gross domestic product for next year and is 12.4 percent higher than the 2017 budget at P3.35 trillion.

Source: Philippine Star July 16, 2017 16:30 UTC