Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado will be on sick leave for two weeks starting Monday, August 2.

In a statement on Saturday, July 31, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said that Avisado would have to undergo a medical checkup following his COVID-19 infection.

“DBM Secretary Wendel E. Avisado is on medical leave from August 2 to 13, 2021, following his recent bout with COVID-19 where he was hospitalized for eight days and quarantined for over a month,” the DBM said.

It added, “Upon the advice of his doctor, [he would] undertake a series of examinations as it has been 14 years since [he went through] a quadruple open heart bypass.”

In the meantime, Budget Undersecretary Tina Canda, a career official, will be the officer in charge.

A government source said Avisado, officially, is on leave, but that he has already resigned from his post.

Avisado will be on leave as the department is preparing the 2022 National Expenditure Program (NEP) or the proposed budget.

The 2022 budget should be submitted by August 25 as the Constitution requires the President to submit the NEP within 30 days from the opening of the congressional session.

The 2022 NEP is the final budget proposal under the Duterte administration, with the approved version to be used by the next administration. – Rappler.com