Congress urged to pass budget on time to avoid negative economic impact

Salvador Panelo, chief presidential legal counsel and presidential spokesperson. (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has urged Congress to pass the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 on time to avoid a negative impact on the economy.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Tuesday submitted the budget to the House of Representatives almost a month after the opening of the 18th Congress. 

The passage of the 2019 national budget was delayed for months after some lawmakers questioned some allocations and pork barrel insertions. 

“We can always hope that it will pass on time because any delay will again affect our economy. And I am sure the members of Congress know that,” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Despite the Congress being dominated by allies of President Rodrigo Duterte, Panelo could not guarantee the budget’s passage on time.

“Actually we do not have any guarantee, that depends on the members of Congress because they are the ones who deliberate on the budget,” he said.

“We are always hopeful whether Congress is dominated by allies of the President or not, because after all, as we said repeatedly, members of Congress should know exactly what is good for the Filipino people being representatives of them,” he added. /je