Malacañang said this year’s proposed P1.541-trillion national budget remains under the scrutiny of its financial team, even as it noted that the purported P4-billion increase in pork barrel fund made by Congress would be subject for review.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is maximizing the 30-day period given by Mrs. Arroyo to fully review the bulky spending bill.

“We’re still awaiting the Department of Budget and Management’s recommendation which should come in within the 30-day review period granted to the President,” he said.

The DBM will determine whether or not there are items needed to be vetoed by the President.

“The recommendation will also cover how President should handle the pork barrel hike, considering higher deficit worries this year due to continued global weakness, need to sustain stimulus spending, and a tax collection effort that could benefit from new revenue protecting and raising measures that Congress is still sitting on,” Olivar said.

The Congress approved Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to P10.861 billion, P7.14 billion of which was earmarked by the congressmen and the rest was from the Senate.

The amount is P4 billion more from Mrs. Arroyo’s recommended PDAF appropriation for Congress amounting P6.940 billion in her proposed national budget.

After receiving this year’s proposed appropriations bill on January 13, Malacañang assured that the President would act on the spending bill on or before February 14.

On or before February 14, the DBM will submit their recommendations to Mrs. Arroyo.

Malacañang maintained that there is a need to veto the P64.6-billion debt service cut in the debt service fund in the 2010 P1.541-trillion budget, which is an eight percent increase from the P1.426-trillion budget in 2009.