Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The House of Representatives ratified Tuesday afternoon the proposed 2017 national budget.
Earlier in the day, the Bicameral Conference Committee earlier in the day approved the General Appropriations Bill for 2017, which stood at ₱3.35T — following the consolidation of the respective versions of the Senate and the House.
The bicam report was presented Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, and Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, to their respective chambers during the day’s session for ratification.
Related: DBM presents proposed ₱3.35 trillion budget for 2017
After both chambers ratify the bill, it is then sent to the President for signature to become law.
“This is a budget that is in line with the President’s 10-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and we ensured that it funds the necessary services needed by our citizens, such as universal healthcare, free tuition for all in state universities and colleges (SUCs), and additional funds for social services,” Legarda said. “We also allocated funds for free irrigation, additional funds for prisoners’ subsistence allowance, pension for Post World War II veterans and centenarians, among others.”
Among the highlights of the budget is an increased budget worth ₱8 billion for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) so that all college students enrolled in any SUC in the country will not have to pay for tuition.
For health care, a ₱3-billion increase for PhilHealth was approved so that all Filipinos will now be covered by the universal healthcare program, while indigent patients will not have to pay for anything in government hospitals under the No Balance Billing (NBB) policy.
The bicam also approved more funds for the Department of Health (DOH) worth ₱1.521B for the Doctors to the Barrio program, construction of additional health facilities, and medical assistance to indigent patients; as well as the ₱2.646B allocation for the establishment of DOH-Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers in various regions.
Additional funds were also allocated to the Department of National Defense (DND) to fund activities to defend the country from internal and external threats, as well as to fund programs such as the repair of the Veterans Center, expanded veterans hospitalization program, and construction of cadet barracks.
The bicam also approved allocation for the combat and incentive pay of the military and police worth ₱12.1 billion, as well as funding for the Capability Enhancement Program of the PNP.
CNN Philippines’ Joyce Ilas and Cecille Lardizabal contributed to this report.
