Duterte approves 2020 national budget

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday signed into law the P4.1-trillion spending plan for 2020 in a bid to swiftly rollout government projects and prevent a budget delay that weighed on the economy last year.

At the signing ceremony in Malacañang, Duterte said the outlay for this year “will support our vision for a more peaceful and progressive” Philippines.

“We will spend 38% of the budget to fund programs on education, healthcare, and social welfare,” he added.

Last month, the president signed a law extending the validity of the 2019 budget until 2020. This means the 2019 and 2020 budgets will operate in parallel this year as the government catches up on spending to spur economic growth. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral

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