Education, infra, health sectors get ‘lion’s share’ in bicam’s proposed 2021 budget

Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The education, infrastructure, and health sectors got the biggest fund allocations based on the bicameral conference committee’s version of the proposed national budget for 2021.

According to data provided by the office of Senate finance committee chair Sonny Angara, the education sector will receive P708.181 billion should President Rodrigo Duterte sign the bicam-approved version of the 2021 budget.

The education sector covers the Department of Education, State Universities and Colleges, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The Department of Public Works and Highways got the second highest share at P694.822 billion while the health sector came in third with P287.472 billion.

The funding for the health sector will cover the Department of Health, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), specialty hospitals, the Philippine Institute Of Traditional And Alternative Health Care, and the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).

It will also include some of the funds for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine.

Other government agencies with the highest allocations in 2021 budget are as follows:

• Department of Interior and Local Government – P247.506 billion
• Department of National Defense – P205.471 billion
• Department of Social Welfare and Development – P176.659 billion
• Department of Transportation – P87.445 billion
• Department of Agriculture – P68.622 billion
• Judiciary – P44.108 billion
• Department of Labor and Employment – P36.606 billion

The Senate and the House are expected to ratify the bicam report Wednesday afternoon so it can be submitted to the office of President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

JPV