2017 budget to fund more teachers, schools, barrio doctors—Diokno

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno. CDN FILE PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Thursday said the recently signed P3.35-trillion budget for 2017 would fund the hiring of more teachers and construction of education infrastructure.

In an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM, Diokno said around 600,000 new teachers would be hired next year and 47,500 school buildings would be constructed.

“We are investing in our children’s future because they are our greatest assets,” Diokno said, when asked about the budget’s major points.

The 2017 national budget, the first under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, was ratified last week after the bicameral conference committee reached a consensus on its final version. Duterte signed the measure on Thursday at Malacañang Palace.

READ: Duterte signs P3.35-T nat’l budget for 2017

Diokno said the budget for next year will address other needs in the education sector, including the K to 12 program, especially because it enjoys the biggest chunk of the budget.

Tuition will also be free in all state colleges and universities after an additional P8 billion was allocated to the Commission on Higher Education (ChEd) under the 2017 budget. The bicameral conference committee agreed to allocate the item to Ched, which was originally allocated by the House of Representatives to the Department of Public Works and Highways for development projects in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Diokno said P1 billion was also allocated in the budget to fund “barrio” doctors in far-flung villages.

“May pag-aaral diyan na, mamamatay ka na hindi ka pa nakakakita ng doctor, kaya magkakaroon tayo ng programa na ‘yung mga doctor ide-deploy natin sa mga rural areas,” he added.

Other big-ticket projects approved in the bicameral version of the bill included additional 1,000 cash allowance for teachers (P770 million), additional funds for scholarship in SUCs (P1.2 billion), free tuition for medical students (P317 million), irrigation fees subsidy (P2 billion) and additional increase of PhilHealth subsidy (P3 billion). RAM/rga