Romualdez: House realigned P77.5 billion in 2023 budget bill to health, education

The House of Representatives has realigned P77.5 billion worth of allocations in the proposed P5.26 trillion budget for 2023 to fund or increase allotments for previously unfunded and deficient government critical government programs in health, education and transport sectors, among others.

Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizaldy Co, the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said the bulk of the realignments were a result of reducing the proposed budget for the Metro Manila Subway Project and North-South Railway Commuter project by P50 billion.

Speaker Martin Romualdez said the amendments in the P5.26 trillion budget included:

• medical assistance for indigent patients - P13 billion
• construction of water systems in underserved upland barangays - P10 billion
• additional budget for Department of Education's classroom construction - P10 billion
• additional budget for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations - P5 billion
• social pension hike for indigent senior citizens - P5 billion
• allowances for healthcare and non-healthcare workers and frontliners - P5 billion
• fuel subsidy program, Libreng Sakay and bike lane construction under the Department of Transportation - P5.5 billion
• Technical Education and Skills Development Authority's training and scholarship programs - P5 billion
• Commission on Higher Education’s Tulong Dunong Program - P5 billion
• Department of Labor and Employment's livelihood and emergency employment programs - P5 billion
• Sustainable Livelihood Program of DSWD - P2.5 billion
• national broadband project of the Department of Information and Communications Technology - P1.5 billion
• special education program under DepEd - P581 million
• additional funding for the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute and Philippine Children’s Medical Center Health - P500 million each
• additional funding for UP-Philippine General Hospital - P500 million
• construction of new Commission on Elections building - P500 million
• construction of 10 dialysis assistance centers nationwide - P270 million or P27 million each 
• Philippine National Police training to be conducted by the Department of Justice and National Prosecution Service - P300 million
• cancer assistance program - P250 million
• Department of Trade and Industry's assistance for the creative industry - P250 million
• additional funding for the Energy Regulatory Commission - P150 million
• additional funding for the Office of the Solicitor General - P147 million 
• National Electrification Administration’s barangay and sitio electrification program - P50 million

“I’m pleased that the House-approved version of the General Appropriations Bill responds to the most urgent needs of Filipinos," Romualdez said in a statement.

"We need to ensure that social services are sufficient for our countrymen, especially those in dire need," he added.

The House earlier approved the proposed P5.26 trillion budget for 2023 on third and final reading subject to the amendments to be approved by the small committee.

Co said that freeing up appropriations from agencies whose funds are unlikely to be fully utilized in 2023, based on historical performance or specific circumstances of their spending program, was justifiable.

"Hindi makatwirang matulog ang pondo habang napakaraming pangangailangan ang milyun-milyong pamilyang Pilipino habang bumabangon ang bansa mula sa pandemya,” Co said.

(It would be unjust to let the funds be unspent when so many others are in need of it as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.)

“The idea is to allocate more budget for pro-people programs and projects without the need of imposing new taxes," Co said.

"One thing is sure: all major infrastructure projects will proceed as scheduled based on a timetable that is implementable for 2023," he added.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Romualdez, Co, and House appropriations panel senior vice chairperson Stella Quimbo of Marikina as regards which other allocations had been reduced for the realignments.

They've yet to send any as of posting time. —NB, GMA News