Manila, March 19 -- Speaker GLoria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday clarified that the House of Representatives has not withdrawn its version of the 2019 budget, reiterating that the lump sum appropriations favored by senators are unconstitutional.
"No, we have not withdrawn our version. We're in discussions about what is the proposed new version," Arroyo said in an ambush interview at the sidelines of the Nickel Initiative 2019 Forum of the Philippine Nickel Association at the BGC in Taguig City.
The former president said she will meet with San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and other House members later in the day to discuss the issue.
Zamora was tasked by the House to negotiate with the Senate to break the budget impasse that had forced the...