Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 5) — The House of Representatives has realigned ₱77.5 billion of the proposed 2023 national budget to beef up allocations for health, education, transportation, and other social services.
In a statement, House Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte said the institutional amendments were included by the lower chamber in the approved version of the 2023 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
“We need to ensure that social services are sufficient for the greater good of our countrymen, especially those in dire need of basic social services to survive,” Romualdez said.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Zaldy Co said the additional budget came from “agencies whose funds are unlikely to be fully utilized within 2023, based on historical performance or specific circumstances of their spending program.”
Co said ₱50 billion was slashed from the Department of Transportation’s proposed spending, which was initially earmarked to finance the Metro Manila Subway Project and North-South Railway Commuter for next year.
“The idea is to allocate more budget for pro-people programs and projects without the need of imposing new taxes. One thing is sure: all major infrastructure projects will proceed as scheduled based on a timetable that is implementable for 2023,” Co said.
Here’s the breakdown of the realignment:
– ₱20.25 billion for various programs of the Department of Health
– ₱500 million for UP-PGH (Philippine General Hospital)
– ₱10 billion for the Department of Education’s school building, classroom construction, and special education programs
– ₱10 billion for the Department of Public Works and Highways
– ₱12.5 billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development
– ₱5.5 billion for Department of Transportation programs to address the rising cost of fuel
– ₱5 billion for the training and scholarship programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
– ₱5 billion for the Commission on Higher Education’s Tulong Dunong Program
– ₱5 billion for the livelihood and emergency employment programs of the Department of Labor and Employment
– ₱1.5 billion for the national broadband project of the Department of Information and Communications Technology
– ₱500 million for the Commission on Elections’ new building
– ₱300 million for the Philippine National Police for law enforcement officers’ training to be conducted by the Department of Justice and National Prosecution Service
– ₱250 million for the Department of Trade and Industry to assist the creative industry pursuant to Republic Act 11904
– ₱150 million for the Energy Regulatory Commission
– ₱147 million for the Office of the Solicitor General
– ₱50 million for the National Electrification Administration’s barangay and sitio electrification program
