MOVES to allow excess funds of the government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) for unprogrammed appropriations in the 2023 budget to be used or rechannelled.

This was after the House of Representatives had approved on the third and final reading such measure.

A total of 229 lawmakers had voted in favor of House Bill 9513.

The bill provides that an additional criterion for availing the unprogrammed appropriations by amending Republic Act 11936 or the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

There were four lawmakers who voted against the measure and two others abstained.

Meanwhile, the bill had proposed that the funds of the GOCCs that were determined to be more than their current administrative or operational expenses, benefit obligations, or reserve requirements may be used to implement the vital purposes under the unprogrammed appropriations.

It will be known that the Department of Budget and Management had defined unprogrammed appropriations as items "which provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collection exceed targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated."

The bill’s author, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, explained that the proposal would enable the national government to maximize the GOCC's "idle" funds.