Malacañang reiterated the deadline for the Congress’ ratified version of 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA) should be by the first week of December to give President Duterte sufficient time to review provisions of the bill.
“Well, it has to be this month. Kasi ipa-publish pa po iyan at siyempre kinakailangan din ng kaunting panahon naman ng Presidente natin para busisiin at tingnan kung siya po ay mayroong mga linya o iyong mga line veto na gagawin sa budget,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in press briefing.
[It will be published and of course, the President needs some time to review and look into the budget, whether there are provisions that should be vetoed.]
Congress on Tuesday adjourned its bicameral deliberations of the P4.5 trillion national budget, with lawmakers targeting the final GAA next week before submitting it to the Palace by the middle of the month.
“Pero we hope po, if not this week, then the next week, because otherwise baka maubusan po ng panahon na rerebyuhin din naman po natin iyong binuong budget,” Roque added.
[We might run out of time to review the budget.]
