MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020.
In his September 17 letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte urged the swift passage of the 2020 budget to “maintain continuous government operations.”
Duterte stressed that the quick passage of the 2020 national budget will “ensure the budgetary preparedness that will enable the government to effectively perform its Constitutional mandate.”
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, however, told reporters in Malacañang on Wednesday that the President would veto the budget if it has pork insertions since it would be against the Constitution.
“The ultimate hand that will veto or approve it will be the President,” Panelo said.
In a press briefing in Malacañang also on Wednesday, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda revealed that each lawmaker at the House of Representatives would receive P100 million in the proposed P4.1 trillion national budget for 2020.
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According to Salceda, P70 million would be for infrastructure projects while P30 million would be for soft projects such as medical assistance.
To recall, the passage of the 2019 national budget had been delayed due to questionable allocations and pork insertions.
Duterte even vetoed P95.3 billion-worth of items in the 2019 national budget when he signed it last April.
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