Abad: 2016 budget to sustain inclusive development

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad on Monday said that the proposed 2016 national budget will reinforce the country's inclusive development.

Abad said in a statement that the 2016 budget will also strengthen agency spending for stronger citizen participation.

"The success of our previous budgetary reforms have already helped us turn public expenditure into something that is more transparent, accountable and participatory. With the budget increase for the coming year, we’re concentrating on widening the reach of the people’s budget to address more of the public needs," Abad said.

The Budget secretary noted that the reform measures that the DBM has adopted in previous budgets would help government agencies in making optimal use of their budget allocations.

The following budgetary reforms have bee implemented in the past years:

• General Appropriations Act-as-Release-Document regime
• Bottom-up Budgeting
• Performance-Informed Budgeting
• Unified Accounts Code Structure

The 2016 budget will support the following government programs:

• good governance and anti-corruption measures to create a better environment to attract investments and quality jobs
• making growth inclusive by raising the quality of Filipino workers
• creating more and better jobs and livelihood to sustain the growth momentum
• managing disaster risks in order to prevent the loss of lives, properties, and livelihood
• establishing an enabling environment of just and lasting peace via the promotion and implementation of peace agreements
• the modernization of the military and the police

"Following the 2016 Budget Priorities Framework, this proposed budget will help us attend to the needs of 44 of our poorest and most climate-vulnerable provinces. We believe a budget that is responsive to the needs of our people is a budget that truly empowers," Abad said.

The House of Representatives committee on appropriations has started its deliberations on the proposed P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016 on Monday.

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