Bongbong Marcos orders agencies to fully utilize budget — DOLE Chief

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. | FILE PHOTO: INQUIRER.net. / Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants faster government spending after several government agencies recorded low utilization rates, said Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma on Tuesday.

Marcos’ call follows a Philippine Statistics Authority report that government spending had contracted by 7.1 percent.

READ: Gov’t stepping up spending to recover lost momentum after economy slowed in Q2

“Mayroon na pong tagubilin sa amin na mahigpit ang Pangulo na naririyan ang pondo, lalo na ang may kinalaman sa social protection programs ng pamahalaan, dapat maipagkaloob natin iyan sa mga intended beneficiaries,” Laguesma said during a Palace press briefing.

(The President has strict instructions that the funds are there, especially for social protection programs of the government, it should be granted to the intended beneficiaries.)

According to the Presidential Communications Office, Marcos led a sectoral meeting to address the low budget utilization among the agencies. Included in the meeting was the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Energy, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Migrant Workers and Department of Transportation.

The agencies were asked to present their respective catch-up plans to address their utilization rates, said the Palace.

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