Senate expects Duterte to sign budget on January 6

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is hopeful President Duterte will be able to sign by Jan. 6 the P4.1-trillion national budget after Senate President Vicente Sotto III signed the final copy of the national spending program on Friday night.

Sotto said the six-day delay in the signing of the 2020 national budget will have no effect on the spending program of the government. He explained that the delay was due to longer printing period and to successive holidays ahead of Christmas and New Year.

Sotto said the Senate will not attach any note of recommendation in the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) that it would submit to President Duterte.

“The President knows so there is no need for annotation. We have an understanding, period. That’s it,” said Sotto, without elaborating.

He said he is not authorized to divulge other details.

He stressed the budget process is transparent and whatever concerns the Senate has, the executive department is already aware of them.

Earlier, Sen. Panfilo Lacson claimed that the proposed 2020 national budget signed by the bicameral conference is full of last-minute insertions.

The bicameral conference committee of senators and congressmen approved the P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget. Lacson, however, did not sign the bicameral report after receiving a flash drive with two files – the “source” containing a list of 1,253 budget items worth P83.219 billion. Another “list” enumerated 742 projects worth P16.345 billion inserted in the report.

Sotto said the situation prevailing when the 2020 proposed national budget was being discussed was different from the one last year, when some congressmen tried to alter the national spending program even after its ratification by both chambers.

“In this case there was question before ratification, and only what was agreed upon was ratified. What I’m saying is, hypothetically the President need not veto but they need not execute,” he said,

He also maintained that the dedication, commitment and brilliance shown by Sen. Sonny Angara in handling the budget process as chairman of the Senate committee on finance would likely allow him to retain the post for the next three years.

“He (Angara) did very well. I’m sure he will remain as chair of (the Senate committee on) finance,” Sotto added.