Manila, Philippines– Malacañang on Thursday (28 November 2019) said President Rodrigo Duterte is likely to scrutinize first before signing the proposed P4.1 trillion national budget even as it hopes transmittal of which to the Executive branch won’t encounter undue delay.

Save for incarcerated Senator Leila de Lima and Manny Pacquiao, 22 of the 24 Senators approved on the third and final reading of the 2020 General Appropriations (GA) Bill.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, they hope that final approval and transmittal will not encounter delays simply because of “partisan politics or further discussions.”

“The Executive Branch hopes that the Bicameral Conference Committee of the Legislature would be able to arrive at a considerable decision in reconciling the conflicting provisions found in the two versions of both Chambers to avoid undue delay,” Panelo said.

“The public is assured that the President will carefully scrutinize provisions in the appropriations bill that will be transmitted to his office by Congress to ensure that the same would be in accordance with the imperatives of the Constitution and responsive to the needs of the Filipino people before it becomes a law,” said the secretary. (Marian Sinamban/IAMIGO/CNS)