Bicam defers action on P3.3-T 2017 budget

MANILA, Philippines – The bicameral conference committee met for the first time yesterday to discuss the proposed P3.35-trillion national budget, but deferred action on the measure to give way to the task of reconciling conflicting provisions.

An agreement was made between the panels of the Senate and the House of Representatives to hold small group meetings in order to hasten the process of reconciling conflicting provisions of the versions of the budget measure approved by the two chambers.

No date has been set for the meetings or for the final approval of the budget bill.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said the 2017 national budget, being the first of the Duterte administration, would hopefully be “spent judiciously to deliver long-term solutions to our country’s long-term problems, to deliver the change that our people want and need.”

Legarda noted the 2017 national budget was crafted in line with the 10-point socioeconomic agenda of President Duterte.

Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon said the 2017 national budget would set the foundation for the development of the country in the next six years.

“This administration will be held responsible for these programs contained in the National Expenditure Program,” Drilon said.

Legarda said that there would be a significant increase in infrastructure spending next year, “given its indispensable role in reducing poverty, raising productivity and spreading the benefits of economic growth.”

“This is a pro-people budget, one that will be felt by those at the grassroots as it prioritizes rural development, infrastructure and social services. We hope that these resources allocated to deliver programs are not only spent, but also spent well,” Legarda said.

The Senate has introduced several amendments to its version of the measure, including a P3-billion increase in the budget of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to enable the agency to include all Filipinos in its health coverage.

The Senate also approved an allocation of P2 billion for the National Irrigation Administration to cover the free irrigation for farmers.

An additional P6.17 billion has also been earmarked for state universities and colleges to cover scholarships for all indigenous peoples and indigent students, especially beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. 

Funding for one-time cash grant for centenarians, which should have been provided this year, was also included in the Senate’s version of the national budget.

The Department of Health was given an additional P5.33 billion for its doctors to the barrios program and for the procurement of medicine.

The Senate also provided for increases in the allocation for prisoners’ daily subsistence allowance; the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s supplemental feeding program; combat duty pay of soldiers; the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s MASA MASID or Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga; and support for the judiciary.