DBM issues budget call for 2022, eyes submission on Duterte's final SONA

A week after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the P4.5-trillion national budget for this year, the Department of Budget and Management now calls on government departments and agencies to prepare for their budget proposals for the Fiscal Year 2022.

On January 6, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado issued the National Budget Memorandum No. 138 or the “National Budget Call for FY 2022.”

In a text message, Avisado said the DBM is targeting to submit the budget proposal next year on July 26, the day when Duterte will deliver his final State of the National Address (SONA).

“Hopefully on the day of the SONA,” the Budget chief said when asked when the DBM would submit the budget proposal for 2022 to Congress.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) has estimated that the proposed budget next year could reach P5.024 trillion. 

In the budget call, Avisado reminded government agencies that their budget proposals shall be consistent with the policies of the Duterte administration’s 0-10 Point Socioeconomic Agenda and the Philippine Development Plan.

Also, the DBM memorandum noted that the 2022 national budget will continue to adopt the following administrative reforms for “greater budget transparency and reliability:”

• Two-tier budgeting approach
• Unified accounts code structure
• Program-based budgeting structure through the Program Expenditure Classification approach
• Disaggregation of lump-sum amounts within the agency specific budgets to reflect program/activity/project, implementing agencies and/or regional or local levels
• A well-functioning, results-based and credible monitoring and evaluation system that will provide evidence-based information
• Institutionalization of the Program Convergence Budgeting strategy in the budget process to link, harmonize, and synchronize the timing of critical program interventions
• The Open Government Partnership with civil society organizations for greater openness, transparency, and accountability

Avisado also reminded government agencies that the FY 2022 will be the roll-out of the Supreme Court decision on allowing local government units greater access to funds, which means LGUs will have bigger internal revenue allotment next year. —LBG, GMA News