MANILA – There will be no reenacted budget entering 2021 as President Rodrigo Duterte signed the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget on Monday afternoon.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said while the country’s chief executive has signed the budget measure, there will be “veto message” on some portions of the proposed bill that were deemed unconstitutional.
“Sigurado na magkakaroon ng veto message,” Roque said in a virtual presser on Monday. “We will learn what items (from the 2021 national budget) have vetoed.”
Apart from the national budget, Roque added that President Duterte might also sign the bill extending the validity of the Bayanihan 2 law to 2021.
Earlier this month, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed General Appropriations Act for 2021.
The government plans to prioritize its recovery programs for the coronavirus pandemic in the budget spending plan for next year.
The biggest recipients of the proposed 2021 budget were the departments of Education (P708.18 billion), Public Works (P694.82 billion), Health (P287.47 billion), Local Government (P247. billion) and Defense (P205.47 billion).
Also receiving a chunk of the budget are the Social Welfare (P176.65 billion), Transportation (P87.44 billion), Agriculture (P68.62 billion), Labor (P36.6 billion) and Judiciary with P44.1 billion.
The ratified 2021 spending measure likewise includes an allocation of P72.5 billion for coronavirus vaccines.
Around P2.5 billion of the P72.5 billion is under programmed funds lodged with the health department while the remaining P70 billion will be allotted for the purchase of the vaccines including the storage, transportation and distribution./PN
