The Philippine Senate passed on final reading the proposed Php1.227Tril national budget for 2008. The Senate
made revisions on the national budget by accepting the proposal of Sen. Panfilo Lacson that any
savings generated by the government with the strengthening of the peso should be allocated for
education and health projects. Allocation for the 2008 budget is as follows:

· Php138Bil for the Department of Education
· Php90.72Bil for the Departments of Public Works and Highways
· Php50.9Bil for National Defense
· Php26.8Bil for the Department of Agriculture
· Php19BIl for the Department of Transportation and Communications
· Php16.5Bil for the Department of Health
· Php10.6Bil for judiciary
· Php10.18Bil for the Department of Foreign Affairs

The Senate and the House of Representatives will now go on a bicameral conference to harmonize
their versions of the general appropriations act for next year.