Duterte signs 2019 budget

195.3-B items vetoed for being outside the President’s priority projects

After months of operating under a re-enacted budget, President Duterte finally signed on Monday the 2019 General

Appropriations Act (GAA), Malacañang confirmed.

In a text message sent to Malacañang reporters, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Duterte, however, vetoed, 195.3 billion worth of items in the GAA, among others.

“The President, among others, vetoed 95.3 billion pesos items of appropriations in the Details of DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) Programs/Projects,

which are not within the programmed priorities,” he said Monday evening.

In another text message, Medialdea said Duterte vetoed the said provisions not because they were unconstitutional, but simply because they are not part of Duterte's priority projects.

“No. Not part of the President's priority projects,” the Palace official said.

Just last week, the President had threatened to veto the entire budget if there are anomalous provisions in it. Duterte's warning is rooted from the allegations made by both Senate and the House of Representatives about insertions made by both houses of Congress.

“Pagka talagang tagilid 'yan (If it is really problematic), I will outright veto the entire budget,” Duterte threatened.

“Eh hindi magkasundo ang Congress pati ang Senado eh, pati yung mga insertions diyan titignan ko. Pagka tagilid talaga (The House of Representatives and the Senate cannot agree. I will look at even the insertions. If it is really problematic), I will not hesitate to veto the entire budget. Eh 'di pasensya tayong lahat (Let's just live with it),” he said then.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo assured that President Duterte will be carefully scrutinizing the 2019 budget worth 13.757 trillion and will not hesitate to exercise his veto power if some provisions are anomalous.

“(The Office of the President) is poring over the details of the document and checking which items therein may be constitutionally infirm or legally unacceptable pursuant to the President’s power and duty to ensure that the law is enforced and the Constitution is free from any violation,” he said earlier.

“As a lawyer and strict enforcer of the rule of law, the President treads cautiously in performing his constitutional duty making sure that before he inks his signature to the document, the latter does not violate our Constitution, as well as related jurisprudence on the matter,” he added.

House appropriations chair Rolando Andaya Jr. had earlier accused the Senate of cutting down funds for infrastructure projects and realigned them to other items.

Meanwhile, Senator Ping Lacson alleged that House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo directed the realignments of 125 million from the Department of Health (DOH) for her favored congressmen.