MANILA – The government needs to catch up with the implementation of infrastructure projects once the proposed P3.757-trillion budget for this year is signed into law, a Malacañang official said.
Cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles issued the remark on Monday night as he assured the public that President Rodrigo Duterte could sign the budget bill either this week or next week.
“Ideally ang gusto nating mangyari ‘pag napirmahan na siya habulin natin kung ano ‘yung mga infra projects na nasa 2019,” Nograles said.
He also said that it would be better if the period of validity of the appropriations will be extended until middle of 2020.
“Parang mangyayari diyan sa 2020 magkakaroon ng mga infrastructure projects that were technically 2019 budget plus your 2020 budget. Magkakaroon ng mas maraming infrastructure projects sa 2020. ‘yan ang magiging effect niya kung halos magkasabay ‘yung latter half ng 2019 plus ng new 2020 projects,” he said.
“It will be good for the economy kasi mas marami kang makikita na mga infra projects that are coming in so sa job generation maganda rin yan pero sana hindi tayo mabulunan sa dami ng project.”
On top of ramping up efforts in the implementation of infrastructure projects, the Duterte administration’s economic managers have requested the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for an exemption from the public works ban as early as February, a month before March 29 or when the ban took effect.
The list includes 145 programs and projects worth P500 billion, of which 59 are being implemented by national government agencies, 82 by government corporations, three by constitutional fiscal autonomy group (CFAG), and one by the Bangsamoro region.
The ban will run until May 12 or a day before the elections.
The government has been operating on a reenacted budget since January after the Congress failed to pass the 2019 General Appropriations Act before 2018 ended due to disagreements between the Senate and House of Representatives over realignments in the budget bill.
Last month, Duterte warned of negative effects of the prolonged implementation of the reenacted budget on the country’s economy. The Palace, however, assured the public that the government is prepared to cushion the impact of a reenacted budget. (GMA News)
