Duterte extends validity of 2019 funds until 2020

MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the availability of 2019 government funds until 2020 following the late passage of the national budget this year.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11464 on Dec. 20, which makes appropriations under the 2019 national spending plan available for release until Dec. 31, 2020.

Pang. Rodrigo Duterte, inaprubahan ang panukalang batas na layong palawigin ang validity ng capital outlay at maintenance and other operating expenses na bahagi ng 2019 national budget. Magagamit ito hanggang Dec. 31, 2020 @DZMMTeleRadyo pic.twitter.com/rSR3VNfvV2

— Joyce Balancio (@joycebalancio) December 23, 2019

The measure would allow agencies to spend funds for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and capital outlays in the 2019 national budget until next year.

That’s after the late passage of this year’s appropriations, and the midterm election ban on infrastructure projects.

The MOOE covers daily operational costs of government units, while capital outlay is allocation for infrastructure construction or improvement.

It was only in April that President Duterte signed the P3.7 trillion 2019 national budget with vetoed provisions following alleged insertions in the spending plan, which forced the government to operate on a reenacted 2018 budget.