MANILA, Philippines - Senate finance committee chairman Franklin Drilon on Monday expressed his commitment to pass the proposed 2012 national budget by December this year, as the chamber kicked off with its budget deliberations.

In his opening statement during the budget hearing, Drilon said the Aquino administration has done its part by submitting the P1.8-trillion budget proposal a day after his State of the Nation Address or 30 days earlier than the deadline.

"And now the ball is now in our court," Drilon said. "We can do no less. Our commitment: we will pass the 2012 the national budget by December this year."

"To pass the budget on time--not whether or not our pork barrel is released on time--is our solemn duty as elected representatives of our people."

Drilon also said he hopes not to repeat the "yearly charade" of hearing the budget during the previous administration, where Congress' power of the purse was abused to realign items in the budget.

"That was how the fertilizer scam happened. That was how the AFP 'pabaon system' flourished. That was how corruption was committed with impunity," he said, referring to anomalies linked to the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

This year's budget--the Aquino administration's first--was passed in December 2010. It was the first time in 11 years that the budget was approved on time.