The Senate welcomed on Saturday the announcement of Malacañang to propose a 2011 P1.757-trillion national budget, saying the 2011-2016 period is critical for the Aquino administration to address competing urgent concerns and issues.

“We are looking forward to hearing President (Benigno Simeon Aquino) Noynoy’s vision for the country and his framework for his six-year term. This is the time to stimulate the economy through massive human capital development, as well as to pursue sustainable growth,’’ Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, a former Senate president, said.

The Aquino administration should thus prioritize the education, agriculture, health and infrastructure sectors in the national budget, Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee in the 14th Congress, said.

The proposed 2010 national budget was expected to be submitted to Congress after President Aquino has delivered his State-of-the-Nation Address (SoNA) this Monday in joint congressional session at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City signaling the opening of the 15th Congress. The proposed budget is about P250 billion more than the current national budget. (Mario Casayuran)