投稿者: Manila Shimbun

Damage to agriculture, infra surpass P 3 billion due to ”Ursula”

/ Manila Shimbun

The damage to agriculture and infrastructure from Typhoon ”Ursula” surpassed more than three billion pesos, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Friday.

The NDRRMC reported a total of P3,435,725,790 worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure in Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.

Casualties remain at 50 with 362 injured and five missing.

The number of damaged houses stand at 431,586, of which 107,035 were destroyed while 324,551 were partially damaged.

There were 32 health facilities, 106 public structures were also damaged because of the typhoon.

Affected by the typhoon were 600,142 families or 2,431,821 individuals, of which 19,533 families or 77,832 persons are in 547 evacuation centers. Robina Asido/DMS

Duterte to sign budget bill on Jan. 6, says DBM chief

/ Manila Shimbun

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to sign the P4.1 trillion budget for this year on January 6, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said on Friday.

In a text message to reporters, Avisado said his office as well as the Office of the Executive Secretary has completed the review of the enrolled General Appropriations Bill.

“January 6 is what I know but the final say is the OP (Office of the President),” he said of the scheduled signing of the new national budget for 2020 by the President.

He said he was not aware if Duterte will veto any item in the enrolled bill.

“He (Duterte) has the final say regardless of our recommendation and we cannot second guess him so it’s better to just wait,” Avisado said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier hoped that the President would exercise his veto power on the insertions allegedly made by the House of Representatives in the 2020 budget. Celerina Monte/DMS