MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte's administration is battling to end a two-week budget impasse that threatens to derail the Philippines' rapid economic expansion, and raises questions over his power to implement key legislation ahead of midterm elections in May.
Congress' failure to pass the budget last year means the government has been operating under the 2018 allocation since the start of the month. This means that pay increases for 1.7 million public servants are still pending, including large boosts for police and soldiers.
