P4.5 trillion nat’l budget for 2021 reaches Senate plenary for debates

SPONSORSHIP OF 2021 BUDGET: Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the Committee on Finance, sponsors the committee report on House Bill No. 7727 or an act appropriating funds for the operation of the government of the Republic of the Philippines from January 1 to December 31, 2021 during the hybrid plenary session Tuesday, November 10, 2020. (Henzberg Austria Credit/ Senate PRIB)

MANILA,  Philippines — The proposed P4.5-trillion budget for 2021 on Tuesday reached the Senate plenary, prompting days of marathon sessions in the chamber.

Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee, endorsed for plenary approval Committee Report No. 135, which contains House Bill No. 7727 or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

“The national budget has long been considered among the most important legislative measures Congress is tasked to pass every year,” Angara said in his sponsorship speech.

“But it is even more critical now during this time of global and national crisis,” he added.

Angara told reporters before the plenary session that among the priorities of the 2021 budget include ramping up the country’s health system.

Disaster relief is also among the priorities of next year’s budget “given the non-stop disasters” this year, he added.

“For our people face disease, calamity, economic slowdown, and social upheaval. And they’re looking for a path out of what is nothing less than the greatest humanitarian struggle our nation has faced in recent history,” Angaras said.

“We believe that the budget can shine a light on that path,” he added.

COVID-19 vaccine

Under the proposed 2021 budget endorsed in the Senate plenary, a total of P18 billion is allocated for the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

Under the budget, there is an P8-billion funding allocated for the vaccines and P10 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, which will be funded should the government’s collection of non-tax revenues exceed targets.

“From P2.5 billion originally in the [National Expenditure Program], for the committee report, it’s now a total of P18 billion. P8 billion in programmed funds and P10 billion in the unprogrammed appropriations,” Angara said.

“Kapag [If it’s] unprogrammed appropriations, it means it will be funded if the collections from the non-tax revenues exceed the target and historically nae-exceed naman yung non-tax revenue targets [non-tax revenue targets are exceeded],” he explained.

Anti-insurgency funds

Angara’s committee also “did not touch” the controversial P19-billion budget allocated for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) even after opposition senators called for its realignment for other “urgent needs.”

READ: Senate minority to propose realigning P19-B anti-insurgency funds for virus vaccine, calamity aid

“The [Department of Budget and Management] told us if possible ‘wag natin galawin. The president is very adamant that we solve the underlying problems of insurgency,” Angara said.

Nevertheless, the senator said the chamber is open to any changes in the proposed budget once debates begin.

“We’re not closing the door on any arguments. The budget is only a work in progress. We’re not closed to any ideas from our members,” Angara said.

The Senate will start plenary debates on the budget on Wednesday.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III previously said President Rodrigo Duterte will likely be able to sign the budget before Christmas.

In October, the budget faced fears of delay when the House of Representatives, under the then Speaker, Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, unexpectedly suspended session before the lower chamber can approve the budget bill on final reading.

After convening for a special session to pass the budget measure on final reading from October 13 to 16, the House was able to transmit the spending bill to the Senate last October 27 while Congress was on break.

JE