President Rodrigo Duterte. (Photo from an RTVM video)
Update
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte is “dismayed” over the delay in the passage of the 2019 national budget, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Monday.
Medialdea said Duterte knew about the budget impasse.
“He is aware, and I am sure he is dismayed at the legislators’ inaction which will delay his infrastructure projects,” Medialdea said in a text message.
Despite the delay, he said Malacañang was “hopeful” Congress would pass the P3.757 trillion budget for 2019 three days before Congress goes on recess.
“We are still hopeful that the legislators will perform their constitutional duties as President Duterte and his economic team did by submitting the President’a budget on the day of the Sona, or 30 days before the constitutional deadline,” he said.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo also expressed optimism that the budget would be passed.
“We’re still confident that it will be passed,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“We are eagerly awaiting the passage of that bill – the General Appropriations Bill. They know that it will bring adverse consequences if we have a reenacted budget. They know that,” he added. “Hope spring eternal, we’ll hope for the best.”
He said Duterte would not interfere to break the budget impasse.
“That is not the style of the President. He never interferes,” he said./cbb/ac