Duterte now reviewing proposed P3.8-T budget

President Duterte is now reviewing the P3.757-trillion proposed national budget for 2019 days after it was transmitted amid the Senate’s reservations over P75 billion in post-ratification alignments.

“I suppose, he has gone back to work from his birthday yesterday,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said when asked if the President had begun going over the spending plan.

In a press briefing, Panelo stressed that Duterte would carefully scrutinize every provision in the budget, which was transmitted by the Senate earlier this week despite its reservations.

Impasse

Asked to comment on Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s remarks that he was confident the President would veto the P75-billion realignments, Panelo said the President would decide for himself.

“The President, as again, he will evaluate, review, analyze every provision of the national budget, and decide for himself whether or not he will approve it in toto or exercise his veto power,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Senate transmitted the budget to the Palace with “strong reservations” over the P75-billion realignments, which it said were unconstitutional.

The Senate has been locked in an impasse with the House of Representatives after the House allegedly made some adjustments to the budget following its ratification by both chambers.