MANILA (UPDATE) - President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the proposed P4.506-trillion national budget for 2021 which will "sustain government efforts" against COVID-19, the Department of Budget and Management said Sunday.

Next year's spending plan is 9.9 percent higher than the P4.1 trillion budget for 2020, and is equivalent to 21.8 percent of the country's gross domestic product, the DBM said.

It aims to ensure food security, increase investments in public and digital infrastructure, and help "communities cope and prevail in these trying times," the agency said.

Duterte approved the proposed budget last Thursday, according to the DBM.

The 2021 National Expenditure Program (NEP) and other budget documents will be submitted to Congress before the 30-day Constitutional deadline, it said.

The Senate last week passed the Bayanihan to Recover as One (Bayanihan 2) bill on final reading which provides P140-billion fund to sectors reeling from the pandemic.

• Senate OKs Bayanihan 2 bill on final reading

The Philippines on Saturday reported record-high coronavirus infections for a third day at 4,963 new cases, raising the nationwide total to 98,232.

The tally includes 2,039 fatalities, 65,265 recoveries and 30,928 active cases.

• Philippines sees record new COVID-19 cases for 3rd straight day
• ‘Alarming’: If trend holds, COVID cases could reach 150K by August’s end, says UP prof