Legarda: P1.4 trillion in 2017 budget for roads, schools, healthcare
November 29, 2016 | 12:04am
Sen. Loren Legarda, Finance committee chair, presents the Senate's version of the 2017 budget.
senate.gov.ph / Released
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has approved the P3.35-trillion proposed budget for 2017 with 40 percent going to social services, the chair of the Finance committee said.
"Our proposed 2017 budget sets bold plans to meet not just today's needs, but one that looks beyond 2017 - one that contributes to delivering long-term solutions to the country's long-term problems," Legarda said.
Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, said that the Senate version of the 2017 national budget aims not only to deliver the changes Filipinos want, but also "address the most basic needs of our people," adding that P1.420 trillion or around 40 percent of the budget was allocated for social services.
The Department of Education was allocated P546.62 billion "to finance the construction of classrooms, hiring of teachers and procurement of instructional materials," the Department of Public Works and Highways has a proposed budget of P443.76 billion, to spur infrastructure spending, while the Department of Health has been allocated P155.15 billion after the Senate added funds to various offices and programs under the department.
The Senate also allocated an additional P3 billion increase to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. budget "to ensure that all Filipinos will be covered by the universal healthcare program."
Legarda said that the P155 billion allocated to the DOH is to improve health services, particularly hiring doctors, nurses and midwives.
She also added that President Rodrigo Duterte's war against drugs would also benefit from it, saying that "rehabilitation centers for drug dependents would be built, as part of government efforts to find a lasting solution to our war on drugs."
Legarda said that the increase in budgetary allocations to agencies like DepED and DOH would ensure the delivery of basic services and benefits to all Filipinos.
On Underspending
To deal with the issues of underspending among government agencies, a One-year Availability timeframe of Appropriations under the 2017 General Appropriations Act was set by the Senate's 2017 budget.
Legarda said that this move is to get the government agencies to utilize their budgets "to the last peso."
"Our budget is our investment for the future," Legarda said. "Underspending simply means missed opportunities. We wish to encourage that we all work together and provide the people what is due them."
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