Colombia’s House of Representatives Tuesday approved the national government’s budget for 2010 after a six-hour-long debate.
The total budget for next year was set at 148.3 trillion pesos (US$77.3 billion).
Facing growing unrest among students and complaints about a failing higher education system, Representatives demanded Finance Minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga to earmark US$80 million for the country’s public universities.
Also the country’s Family Welfare institute was allowed more money than proposed by the government.
For the country’s national security and defense, one of Colombia’s most important expenses because of its 45-year old conflict with leftist guerrillas and a soaring crime rate, the government has US$10 billion to spend.