Duterte to sign budget bill on Jan. 6, says DBM chief

January 3, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to sign the P4.1 trillion budget for this year on January 6, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said on Friday.

In a text message to reporters, Avisado said his office as well as the Office of the Executive Secretary has completed the review of the enrolled General Appropriations Bill.

"January 6 is what I know but the final say is the OP (Office of the President)," he said of the scheduled signing of the new national budget for 2020 by the President.

He said he was not aware if Duterte will veto any item in the enrolled bill.

"He (Duterte) has the final say regardless of our recommendation and we cannot second guess him so it's better to just wait," Avisado said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier hoped that Duterte would exercise his veto power on the insertions allegedly made by the House of Representatives in the 2020 budget. Celerina Monte/DMS