Duterte still studying 2019 budget; signing likely after Holy Week – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — The signing of the 2019 national budget may not happen on April 15 as earlier confirmed by Malacañang.

This is because President Rodrigo Duterte is still studying the controversial budget and would likely sign the national spending measure after Holy Week instead, according to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

“Kinalendar na, pero mukhang pinag-aaralan pa. Eh baka after Holy Week,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Panelo said Wednesday the ceremonial signing of the General Appropriations Act 2019 would be in Malacañang on Monday, April 15.

READ: Duterte to sign 2019 national budget on April 15

“Naka-calendar, tapos tinanggal sa calendar. Puwede ring ibalik, hindi ba?” he noted.

The government has been operating on a reenacted budget since the start of 2019 after Congress failed to pass the P3.757 trillion national budget due to questionable allocations and alleged pork barrel insertions.

As of this posting, it was unclear whether or not Duterte had vetoed certain allocations as well as the last minute realignments questioned by the Senate, including the controversial P75 billion alleged pork barrel insertion. /kga