President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law extending the availability of the 2020 national budget until Dec. 31, 2021, in a bid to allow the continuation of appropriation of funds for the items included in last year’s spending plan.

Republic Act (RA) 11520, signed by Duterte on December 29, amends Section 60 of RA 11465 or the 2020 General Appropriations Act, which originally allows the spending of the budget only until December 31 last year.