DepEd, DPWH top gainers in 2013 budget

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education got the lion's share of the 2013 P2.006 trillion national budget, Sen. Franklin Drilon bared on Wednesday.

Drilon, Senate Finance  Committee chairman, said the DepEd's budget for next year will be P293.32 billion from the previous P238.8 billion.

Other top gainers were the DPWH, from P126.4 billion to P152.4 billion, the Department of National Defense, from P108.1 billion to P121.6 billion; the DILG including the PNP, from P99.8 billion in 2012 to P121.12 billion, the Department of Agriculture from P61.4 billion to P74.1 billion; the DOH from P45.8 billion to P56.8 billion; the DSWD from P48.8 billion to P56.2 billion; the DOTC from P34.7 billion to P37.1 billion; the Department of Finance, P23.6 billion to P33.2 billion; and the DENR P17.5 billion to P23.7 billion.

Drilon said the national budget has remained intact despite the "disagreeing provisions."

"This morning, both panels, the House and the Senate, have agreed on the disagreeing provisions, and they have all been reconciled. The budget is basically intact. It’s P2.006 trillion minus the P100 million PDAF of Senator (Panfilo) Lacson," Drilon said.

"Take note that the DOH budget does not include the earmarking that the sin taxes will provide once we have approved the measure. We estimate that it should at least be P23 billion; if not more, in addition to what is provided in 2013 budget," he added. - Dennis Carcamo