PRRD hopes for swift passage of 2020 budget

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech after leading the awarding ceremony for the 2019 Model Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) at the Malacañan Palace on November 28, 2019. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Friday urged the bicameral conference committee to hasten the passage of the proposed PHP4.1 trillion national budget for 2020.

Duterte made the call as he wanted the proposed General Appropriations Act to be signed into law by December.

“Ito ngayon (Now), we’re waiting. Wala pa eh (It is not yet with me). So we hope to pass the law, hopefully, (by) December,” he said in an exclusive interview with CNN Philippines. “Kung maaari, Congress, paki naman (If possible, Congress, swiftly approve it).”

The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved the budget bill on third and final reading. The House of Representatives, meanwhile, passed its version of the annual spending plan on September 20.

The two chambers of Congress convened in a bicameral conference committee on Friday to thresh out differences in their respective versions of the proposed 2020 budget spending.

The President expressed hope that lawmakers would avoid a repeat of the delay in enacting next year’s national budget.

The national government operated on a reenacted budget from January to April this year after Congress’ failure to pass the proposed 2019 General Appropriations Act last year.

He warned that another budget impasse would harm the Philippine economy because this would hinder the implementation of his administration’s policies and programs.

“When there is no public spending, your economy will slow down,” Duterte said.

On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace was optimistic that the bicameral panel would approve the budget bill “without prolonged partisan discussion and undue delay.”

Panelo also noted that the proposed 2020 budget aims to fund programs and projects “that will help accelerate investments in public infrastructure, improve anti-poverty measures, and intensify employment generation.”

He guaranteed that the spending plan would undergo “careful” scrutiny by the President.