Judiciary bats for P6.58-B additional budget for 2021

SC Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — The judiciary is requesting for an additional P6.58 billion budget on top of its proposed funding P43.54 billion for 2021.

During the hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez said the judiciary’s proposed budget for 2021 is slightly higher than the P41.23 billion budget in 2020.

However, the judiciary, Marquez said, initially requested for P55.88 billion budget for next year but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) only approved P43.54 billion—a variance of P12.34 billion.

Marquez said the proposed budget for the judiciary covers the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), and all first- and second-level courts across the country.

With this, Marquez asked Congress for a P6.54 billion increase in its budget for next year.

“Out of P12.34 billion variance, ang gusto sana naming hilingin ngayong umaga dito sa House of Representatives ay for additional P6.58 billion instead of the P12.34 billion na binigay sa NEP,” Marquez said.

“Hindi na namin hihingin ang kabuuan na P12.34 billion, instead we will just be pleading for P6.58 billion,” he added.

Of this proposed additional funding, Marquez said P5.07 billion will go to the Supreme Court and the lower courts, P15.35 million will go to PET, P994.5 million will go to the appellate court, P406.4 million will go to Sandiganbayan, and P98.5 million will go to the Court of Tax Appeals.

With his proposed additional funding, Marquez was asked by lawmakers to submit a written copy of their request including the breakdown.

Based on the documents provided by the DBM, the judiciary has ninth highest funding in the 2021 national budget. 

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