Duterte OKs P3.35-trillion budget

Promising that every peso would go to Filipinos, President Duterte on Thursday signed his first budget law which is expected to fuel his administration’s key programs, such as addressing the illegal drug problem, increased infrastructure spending and better social services.

Republic Act No. 10924 provides for a P3.35-trillion budget for 2017, the biggest budget so far. It is 11.6 percent more than the P3-trillion 2016 budget.

“As the first budget of my administration, we ensure that it will be propeople, proinvestment, progrowth and prodevelopment,” Mr. Duterte said at the enactment ceremony, with lawmakers and the diplomatic corps in attendance.

“The budget is useless if the Filipino is not at its center,” he added. He called on officials to utilize the funds to empower citizens and realize their aspirations.

Mr. Duterte has repeatedly said that since he assumed the presidency midyear, he has been operating on a budget prepared by his predecessor and was left with funds mostly just enough for maintenance and operating expenses.

In the 2017 budget, the largest allocation of P544.1 billion went to the Department of Education.

State universities and colleges got P58.72 billion, which is expected to fund the government’s free-tuition program in government-owned tertiary education institutions. The Commission on Higher Education got P18.7

billion.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government, which is in charge of peace and order, and the campaign against illegal drugs, was given a P148-billion budget.

The funds would be used to support the government’s “serious” efforts against drugs, augment the allowances of prisoners and fund the construction of jail facilities.

The Department of National Defense was allocated P137.2 billion, which would be used to modernize the armed forces and fund veterans’ hospitalization benefits.

“Our men and women in uniform deserve development because they dedicate sweat and blood to protect our beloved Philippines,” Mr. Duterte said.

APPROVED President Duterte, flanked by Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker
Pantaleon Alvarez, signs Republic ActNo. 10924, or the 2017 General Appropriations Act, on
Thursday as lawmakers give him a big round of applause at Rizal Hall in Malacañang.
—MALACAÑANGPHOTO

Poverty alleviation

The Department of Social Welfare and Development got P128.3 billion, including P78.2 billion for the conditional cash transfer program. Families enrolled under the program would also receive a monthly rice allowance.

“Poverty alleviation is an important aspect of attaining real change,” the President said.

The Department of Health was allocated P96.3 billion, while the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) got P53.22 billion.

P2.6 billion was allocated for the construction of drug treatment and rehabilitation centers in rural areas, and indigent patients would receive free services from government hospitals. P1.5 billion was set aside for the doctors to the barrios program.

Irrigation and agriculture

The National Irrigation Authority was allocated P38.4 billion to fulfill the President’s campaign promise of free irrigation for farmers.

“I’ve been wondering all these years why they have to pay for the water,” he said.

The Department of Agriculture got P45.2 billion and the Department of Agrarian Reform, P9.8 billion.

Since the Duterte administration has promised to build more infrastructure, the Department of Public Works and Highways was allocated P454.7 billion.

The Department of Transportation got P53.4 billion.

“Both sectors will help push the economic structure development to increase productivity, generate jobs and attract more investments into our country,” Mr. Duterte said.

Biggest infra spending yet

“It will definitely improve the mobility of our people and make our basic social services more acceptable to the public,” he added.

The administration plans to spend P860.7 billion or 5.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) on hard infrastructure next year, en route to bringing the infrastructure spending-to-GDP ratio to 7.2 percent by 2022, according to Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno.

“It is by far the most aggressive push for infrastructure in our history. In 30 years, infra spending did not even go beyond 3 percent of our GDP,” Diokno earlier said.

The allocation for infrastructure will be spent on building roads, bridges, transport infrastructure and other public works, which the Department and Budget and Management had said would “unlock our growth potential.”

“When it comes to our transportation system, we want a complete turnaround,” Diokno said. “With better mass urban transport systems, we hope to improve investment rates in the country. With seamless connection, we hope to connect our cities and our people. And with better linkages, we hope to facilitate the transport of goods and services. We aim to build the first rail network outside of Luzon, link provinces in the Visayas, and address the traffic crisis in the metropolis.”  —WITH A REPORT FROM BEN O. DE VERA