MANILA – The early passage of the proposed P4.506-trillion national budget for 2021 in the Congress is a welcome development for Malacañang as it will give President Rodrigo Duterte more time to scrutinize it.
According to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the Palace would “take all steps necessary” to ensure that the government will operate on a new budget by Jan. 1, 2021.
“The President will still exercise his power of review and his power of line veto,” Roque said in a virtual press conference on Thursday.
“Hindi po isasakripisyo o isu-surrender ng Palasyo, ng Presidente, ‘yung kanyang kapangyarihan na pag-aralan ang budget at siguraduhin na walang dapat na item ng appropriation na dapat ma-veto,” he added.
In 2019, President Duterte removed P95.37 billion worth of public works appropriations from the original P3.757-trillion spending plan since the items, which came as a result of post-ratification budget realignments made by lawmakers, were not within the “programmed priorities” of the government.
The Senate and House of Representatives members have ratified the spending bill, which is expected to fund measures aimed at improving the country’s healthcare system, ensuring food security, increasing investments in public and digital infrastructure, and helping communities cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proposed national budget is 9.9 percent higher than the P4.1-trillion appropriations for 2020 and equivalent to 21.8 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
A huge portion of next year’s proposed budget will be provided to the social services sector amounting to P1.664 trillion, equivalent to 36.9 percent. This includes funding support for programs related to health, social protection, and education.
The economic services sector will receive the second highest allocation with P1.347 trillion or 29.9 percent, while the general public services sector will be allocated with P724.2 billion, debt burden with P560.2 billion, and defense with P210.6 billion.
The top 10 agencies with the highest budget allocations include the Department of Education, Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of National Defense, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, the Judiciary, and the Department of Labor and Employment./PN
