DBM to make available P717B to different government agencies

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will soon make available P717 billion to different agencies under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the year, its top official said Friday.

The aim is to make available 100 percent of 2011 agency allotments, said Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

“We have issued unprecedented rules that support the timely implementation of programs and projects while ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of funds,” he said.

One such rule is the release of P717 billion in appropriations to agencies for various programs, activities and projects which have been fully identified in the GAA.

The amount constitutes 74 percent of the total budget, Abad noted.

Abad noted that in the past, only 75 percent of budget items classified as “not needing clearance” are released and 25 percent of these have been withheld pending accountability reports and the undertaking of agency performance reviews in the third quarter.

Such practice of withholding funds only delays the implementation of programs and projects, Abad said.

The National Budget Call, which starts the preparation process for the proposed 2012 national budget, has also been issued, Abad said.

“We’ll be posting on the DBM website these submitted documents and reports, as well as the compliance of agencies with these requirements, for the public to scrutinize. Under the NBC, we will not release additional funds to agencies who do not comply with these reportorial requirements,” he said.