MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is transmitting to the Senate on Tuesday its approved version of the 2021 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for next year.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said the record-high budget was designed to further strengthen government response and stimulate economic recovery in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Not only did we pass the proposed 2021 national budget in a timely, constitutional and legal manner, we also made sure next year’s spending plan will be more reflective and responsive to the needs of the people amid the worst public health crisis in a generation,” Velasco said in a statement.
Velasco said the House increased the allocation for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines “by more than three-fold” to cover more Filipinos as well as additional funding for the facilities enhancement program of the Department of Health (DOH) to help improve the country’s health care system.
“The House-approved version of the budget also has additional funding for the Department of Labor and Employment to aid workers displaced by COVID-19 and for the Department of Social Welfare and Development for another round of financial assistance to families affected by the pandemic,” Velasco said.
The House was originally set to transmit the proposed 2021 budget to the Senate on October 28. This means that the lower chamber will transmit the GAB one day earlier than expected.
A small committee in the House tasked to receive and resolve adjustments to the proposed 2021 budget earlier approved P20-billion worth of institutional amendments.
The breakdown of this amount is as follows:
- P5.5 billion for COVID-19 vaccine;
- P4 billion for the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to aid displaced workers;
- P2 billion for pandemic assistance to afflicted families;
- P2 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) under the Department of Health (DOH) to improve and equip hospitals;
- P2 billion for the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) acquisition of C-130 aircraft;
- P2 billion for the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to mobilize the assets of the Philippine National Police (PNP);
- P1.7 billion for the Department of Education (DepEd) for internet needs of schools;
- P400 million for the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) for the development of renewable energy;
- P300 million under the Department of Health (DOH) for mental health programs
- P100 million for the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to improve and modernize its system