Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31) – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) maintains that there are “no irregularities” in the ₱588.1 billion unprogrammed appropriations under the proposed ₱5.268-trillion budget for 2023 amid concerns from lawmakers.
“Details of these unprogrammed appropriations (UA) are available for public and Congress scrutiny,” the DBM said in a statement Wednesday.
House Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto earlier referred to the proposed UA as “588 billion shades of grey” which the government must itemize in “black and white.”
Items under UA can only be funded if revenue collections breach targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are approved.
Support to foreign-assisted projects will be getting the biggest share at ₱380 billion, where ₱378.2 billion will head to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) while the remaining ₱2.2 billion was assigned to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Next is the support for infrastructure projects and social programs at ₱149.6 billion, which includes ₱22 billion for procurement of vaccines.
The DBM also assigned ₱20.6 billion for budgetary support to government-owned and/or controlled corporations.
Some ₱18.9 billion will also be set aside for public health emergency benefits and allowance for health and non-healthcare workers.
The agency said ₱10 billion will go to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ equity infusion pursuant to Republic Act 11211 or the New Central Bank Act, and ₱5 billion for the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program.
The DBM likewise assigned ₱2 billion for the payment of arrears to the Land Transportation Office IT service.
UA include ₱1 billion for the Risk Management Program. This will be used for commitments made by, and obligations of, the government in agreements covering public-private partnership projects, according to previous budgets.
Also listed are ₱210.5 million for the refund of the service development fee for the right to develop the Nampeidai property in Tokyo, Japan, along with ₱14 million in prior years’ local government unit shares.
“In the 2023 national expenditures program, 11.2 percent (₱588.1 billion) is the percentage of unprogrammed appropriations to total obligations budget. However, this already includes the estimated ₱378.2 billion for loan proceeds requirements of the Department of Transportation (DOTr),” read the DBM’s statement.
With this, the department argued that the roughly ₱200-billion remainder must only be considered unprogrammed.
“Thus, should this be removed, only approximately ₱200 billion, or 4 percent, is considered unprogrammed, which will be triggered for release only upon the generation of additional revenues,” said the DBM, noting a similar approach was observed for this year’s budget.
