By Genalyn Kabiling As the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on the people and the economy, the government is expected to craft the country's "first COVID-19 national budget” for 2021. Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. (PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN) According to Presidential Spokesperon Harry Roque, the proposed national budget for next year will be likely different from previous outlays since it will focus on efforts to address the pandemic and mitigate its impact on the nation. Roque admitted that some projects may be set aside to pave the way for programs related to advancing coronavirus response. "Bukod doon sa supplemental budget kung mayroon man, siyempre 'yung darating na budget for 2021 na isusumite sa buwan na Hulyo ay ibang-iba ang itsura niyan. Siyempre ang buong budget nakatutok pa rin sa COVID-19 habang wala pa tayong bakuna. May mga ilang proyekto doon na kinakailangan na sigurong isakripisyo para ibigay ang pangangailangan ng ating kababayan," he said in an interview with DZBB radio Sunday. (Apart from the supplemental budget if there's any, the national budget for 2021 that will be submitted this July will look totally different. The entire budget will be focused on COVID-19 while there is no vaccine. There will be some projects that may be sacrificed to respond to the needs of our countrymen.) “Ang solusyon sa medium-term siyempre, 'yung budget sa 2021 will be the first COVID-19 budget na ating gobyerno,” he added. (Our medium-term solution is our 2021 national budget will be the first COVID-19 budget of our government.) Before the government crafts the proposed 2021 national budget, Roque noted that the President will ask Congress to pass a supplemental budget to boost the government's coronavirus response this year. He admitted that the additional budget proposal has been readied but declined to make it public for now. "Handa na tayo diyan pero wala pa ako otoridad na isapubliko 'yan," he said. (We are ready with that but I have no authority to make it public yet.) "Sa susunod na linggo natin tututukan 'yung mga pangangailangan natin na karagdagang budget na hihilingin sa Kongreso," he added. (Next week, we will focus on our need for a supplemental budget that will be requested from Congress.) For now, he said the government intends to highlight the "new normal" state of activities under the general community quarantine implemented in some areas for public awareness. President Duterte recently admitted that the government was running low on funds for measures to address the public health emergency and cushion its blow on the people. The programs included a P200-billion emergency subsidy project for poor families as well as efforts to upgrade healthcare facilities and resources amid the pandemic. To raise additional funds for the coronavirus response, Duterte mentioned the possible borrowing of funds and selling government assets such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine International Convention Center. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III earlier disclosed that the government has so far spent P353.7 billion for coronavirus measures.