MANILA — The Philippine government posted a budget deficit PHBUD=ECI of P133 billion ($2.34 billion) for August, 85% higher than the deficit the same time last year, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.
That brought the cumulative budget deficit for January-August period to 732.5 billion pesos, 12% lower than the same period last year, preliminary data showed.
($1 = 56.8120 Philippine pesos)
—Reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz; editing by Barbara Lewis