Nothing can stop President Arroyo from rejecting the debt service cuts, Malacañang said Sunday, noting that there is a need to veto such slashes.

Presidential economic spokesperson Gary Olivar said Mrs. Arroyo will veto the cuts because the debt service is automatically appropriated and any move to allow such cuts would fuel up country’s indebtedness.

“Tuwing nangyayari po ito na hindi nilalagyan ng budget ‘yung appropriation ng debt service o pambayad-utang natin, ibine-veto talaga po ng Pangulo yun, kasi nangyayari, automatic na appropriated po ‘yung debt service so kahit walang budget at wala namang offset ‘yung revenues or revenue increase o expense reduction, ang nangyayari po ay lumalaki lang ‘yung utang natin,” Olivar said, in an interview over government DzRB.

The Congress on Friday made a P64.6-billion cut in the debt service fund in the next year’ P1.541-trillion budget, which is an eight percent increase from the P1.426-trillion budget in 2009.

Olivar said that such executive action is enforced to maintain the country’s “strong” credit rating.

“Mabuti na lang po under the law and by action of the President, na-e-enforce natin ‘yung fiscal discipline nang sa gayon po ay name-maintain natin ang ating strong credit rating fortunately for our country,” he said.

The Congress approved Mrs. Arroyo’s “final budget” last Friday, almost a third of which will be channeled to public services delivery.