President Rodrigo Duterte will veto the proposal to extend the validity of the 2019 national budget if this will violate the Constitution, Malacañang said Thursday.
Palace Spokesman Salvador Panelo said it was up to President Duterte if he would approve House Bill 5437, which would allow the government to continue spending funds from this year’s allocations that will expire on Dec. 31 if he does not extend it.
The bill, which was passed unanimously by the Senate Wednesday, will amend Section 65 of the Republic Act 1260 or the P3.662-trillion General Appropriations Act of 2019.
If the President signs it, the government will in effect be operating on two budgets next year: The 2020 GAA and the extended 2019 GAA.
“We did this because under RA 11260 or the 2019 GAA and Executive Order 91 on the implementation of a cash-budgeting system, all appropriations that were not released, obligated or paid by Dec. 31, 2019 will lapse and revert to the national treasury, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said in a statement Tuesday.
Panelo earlier assured the public that Duterte would “scrutinize” the appropriations bill that will be forwarded to him by Congress.
In April, Duterte signed the P3.7-trillion 2019 budget with vetoed provisions following alleged insertions in the spending plan.
Meanwhile, the government was forced to operate on a reenacted budget this year for four months following wrangling among lawmakers over the alleged pork insertions in the national spending plan.
Duterte has previously certified the 2020 national budget as urgent for its swift passage to avoid delaying any economic programs or services.
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