THE next 48 hours would see President Rodrigo Duterte getting very busy in striking out several portions of the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that before the chief executive signs the spending bill into law, some items in the budget will be made to form part of those which will be “recommended for veto.”
“Sigurado na magkakaroon ng veto message,” he said.
Roque however declined to confirm whether or not the items to be vetoed were the questionable projects earlier flagged by Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss ano itong mga items na ito,” Roque said.
Lacson had slammed House lawmakers for retaining – and even increasing – some P63-billion worth of infrastructure projects, at the expense of more necessary items during the COVID-19 pandemic, like vaccines and the National Broadband Plan.
Lacson earlier questioned the P67-B fund for multi-purpose buildings in the proposed 2021 DPWH budget — “Hindi ako sang-ayon sa sense of priorities,” the senator earlier said.
Lacson initially wanted to formally write to Malacañang to offer help in identifying “unreasonable reductions” and realignments under the 2021 spending bill, but later on withdrew his plan, saying he does not want to impose on the President.
Under the law, the President may reject some amendments lawmakers inserted in the national budget, but he is unauthorized to reallocate the funds to other projects.
Duterte is expected to sign the 2021 national budget on December 28, 2020.