Author Topic: P1.415 Trillion: Philippine Government Budget for 2009  (Read 881 times)

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P1.415 Trillion: Philippine Government Budget for 2009
« on: October 11, 2008, 03:32:15 PM »
By Lilybeth Ison
Philippine News Agency

After a grueling two-week marathon plenary session, the House of Representatives approved on second reading around 3:34 a.m. Saturday the proposed P1.415-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2009.

Speaker Prospero Nograles described the 2009 GAA as "a very flexible, reform-oriented budget, and a recession-responsive policy action that our people can depend on, an antidote to economic stagnation."

He said the proposed outlay supports the government’s priority programs and projects for 2009 and designed to meet any and all contingencies that may arise as a result of the current global economic slowdown spawned by the U.S. financial crisis.

"Despite the U.S. government’s US$ 700-billion bailout package, we cannot be complacent but should anticipate any possible ill-effects the crisis may have on the Philippine economy," he said.

"Infrastructure development programs would help pump prime the economy while promoting the absorptive capacities of implementing agencies. We also have to heighten tax collections by improving tax administration," he added.

House appropriations committee Chairman Rep. Junie Cua (Quirino) said the approved 2009 GAA is "a document that embodies the aspirations of the nation."

"This budget is a product not only of the members of the House of Representatives but of the public itself, as we vigorously pursue a participative approach allowing for inputs, evaluations, and recommendations from the civil society so that it can becomes a people’s budget in every sense of the word," he said.

Cua noted that the proposed 2009 outlay is only P188.3-billion or 15.4 percent higher than the budget for the current year of P1.226-trillion.

He also noted that of the P1.415-trillion package, about P867.969-billion represents new appropriations and the remainder covers automatically appropriated items such as debt servicing, the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), and retirement premiums of government personnel.

Former chairman and now senior vice chairman of the appropriations panel, Rep. Edcel Lagman said the House's approved 2009 GAA "is not a mere compendium of budgetary allocations but, more importantly, a document of policy directions."

He said no country is insulated from the ill-effects of the international economic crisis and financial turmoil.

"Our role is limited to mitigating the adverse effects of the crisis to shield our people, particularly the marginalized and disadvantaged. We can only offer buffers and safety nets. Perforce, we must play and deliver this role to the hilt," he said.

Even as the proposed 2009 national budget contained in House Bill no. 4115, has been approved on second reading, individual amendments could still be submitted by any of the 240 members to the Committee on Appropriations during the recess before the voluminous document is printed for its third and final reading approval come session resumption on November 10.

Further amendments and realignment of budgetary provisions may still be done and finalized during the expected bicameral conference committee after the Senate shall have approved on final reading their version of the proposed spending bill hopefully before Christmas.

Under Committee Report 1323 on HB 5116, the highest priority was given to the Department of Education (DepEd) with P167.9-billion, or an increase of P18.7-billion from its 2008 level of P149.2-billion.

At second spot was the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with P120-billion, an increase of P17.6-billion from the 2008 outlay of P102.4-billion.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) came next with P61.9-billion; followed by the Department of National Defense (DND) with P61.5-billion.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will receive P39.7-billion, which includes allocation for the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA).

The DA budget for 2009, including the budget for AFMA, will increase by P14.3-billion or 56.3 percent from the current year’s budget of P25.4-billion.

It has earmarked six assistance packages, which comprises the FIELDS (fertilizer assistance, irrigation and other infrastructure facilities, extension and education loans for inputs, loan assistance, dryers and other postharvest facilities, and seed subsidies) program to address the problem on food security.

The Department of Health (DoH) was allocated with P27.8-billion; the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) with P23.6-billion; the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) with P16.1-billion; the Department of Finance (DoF) with P13.8-billion; and the Department of Justice (DoJ) with P12.8-billion.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will receive P10.5-billion, which is higher by 114.3 percent from its 2008 budget of P4.9-billion.

In terms of expense class, personal services will get a share of P429.727-billion or 30.37 percent of the total pie. Maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) are allocated the amount of P781.154-billion or 55.21 percent, while capital outlay and net lending will receive P204.119-billion or 14.43 percent.

By sector allocation, social services will get the highest share at P433.992-billion or 30.67 percent. Economic services will get 25.54 percent share or P361.394-billion.

Debt service sector will get P302.65-billion or 21.39 percent of the total budget; general public services are allotted 16.93 percent or P239.591-billion; defense will have P65.216-billion or 4.61 percent; and net lending with P12.157-billion or 0.86 percent.

The local government units (LGUs) will get a share of P249.989-billion or about 18 percent of the budget representing their share from the IRA.

Nograles lauded the diligence, efficiency and hard work of House appropriations committee Chairman Rep. Junie Cua, senior Vice Chairman Edcel Lagman and other vice chairmen and staff of the Committee on appropriations.

The same is true with Majority Leader Arthur Defensor and senior deputy Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales and other deputies -– Reps. Del de Guzman, and Crispin Remulla, among others -- for their collaborative brilliance in steering plenary deliberations until the votes were counted.

Nograles also lauded the Deputy Speakers -- Amelita Villarosa, Eric Singson, Pablo Garcia, Raul del Mar and Arnulfo Fuentebella -- for their vital leadership role in presiding over the marathon plenary sessions, and the members of the majority coalition and cited the critical collaboration of the minority led by Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora throughout the budget process.

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