P1.54-T 2010 budget now in effect

MANILA, Feb. 9 — The P1.54-trillion 2010 General Appropriations Act is now in effect.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr., in a press briefing after the Cabinet meeting held at Barangay Talipapa Hall in Quezon City, said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had signed the national budget into law Monday night.

“As usual, there are certain items vetoed, but the veto does not pertain to any amount but only to certain provisions, one of them the debt cap proposal,” Andaya said.

In the ratification of the budget, the lawmakers cut the allocation for debt service by P64.6 billion, bringing it down to P276.212 billion. The amount cut was allocated for other projects.

“The President, however, restored the amount because debt service payment is an automatic appropriation,” he said.

By department, Education received the highest allocation at P185.48 billion; followed by Public Works, P126.93 billion; Health, P30.40 billion; Agrarian Reform, P20.77 billion; and Transportation and Communications, P16.61 billion. (PNA)

RMA/OPS/ssc

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