Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 2) — House Speaker Martin Romualdez said the immediate passage of the proposed ₱5.768-trillion national budget for 2024 will be the lower chamber’s “priority.”
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) submited the planned spending to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, less than 10 days after Congress opened its regular session.Romualdez said this gave them enough time to study the proposal, which is 9.5% higher than 2023’s ₱5.268 trillion.“Let me assure everyone that the House of the people understands fully well the need to pass the national budget on time. The national budget is crucial to maintaining economic stability, sustaining the country’s growth trajectory, and facilitating the seamless implementation of government programs and projects,” he said.“This is why I declared that the passage of the national budget shall be a priority of the House of Representatives,” he added.Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo said plenary debates may happen on the week of September 18.“By the end of September, tapos na tayo at na-aprubahan na natin ang budget (we’re done and we have already approved the budget),” she said.According to Romualdez, the Marcos administration’s priorities for next year are the following: food security; reduction of transport, logistics and energy costs; arresting learning losses; health and social protection; improving bureaucratic efficiency; and sound fiscal management.I was told that funds to support the country’s climate change initiatives, local government empowerment and the development of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao were also allotted,” he added.DBM chief Amenah Pangandaman said the planned 2024 budget plans to continue boosting local production of major agricultural products, like rice and corn.The budget would also support the current administration’s infrastructure push, especially road networks and railway systems, Pangandaman said.The following are the priority sectors for next year’s budget: – Education (₱924.7 billion)- Public works (₱822.2 billion)- Health (₱306.1 billion)- Interior and local government (₱259.5 billion)- Defense (₱232.2 billion)- Transportation (₱214.3 billion)- Social welfare (₱209.9 billion)- Agriculture (₱181.4 billion)- Judiciary (₱57.8 billion)
