DBM issues budget call for 2024

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has called on government departments and agencies to prepare for their budget proposals for Fiscal Year 2024.

On January 12, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman issued National Budget Memorandum No. 145 or the National Budget Call, signaling the preparatory stage for the drafting of the National Expenditure Program for next year.

The budget call was issued to “all heads of departments, agencies, bureaus, offices, commissions, state universities and colleges, and other instrumentalities of the national government and all others concerned.”

The memorandum requested all agency heads to begin preparing their budget proposals for 2024.

The DBM said the budget call defines the budget framework, sets the economic and fiscal targets, enumerates the priority thrusts and programs, and harmonizes the guidelines, forms and instructions for budget preparation. 

“The 2024 National Expenditure Program shall adhere to the policies and directions embodied in the government’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. We will make sure that the proposal shall support the achievement of the targets set by the FY 2022-2028 Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF),” said Pangandaman.

The DBM said budget call seeks to put emphasis on infrastructure development, including the “Build Better More” program as well as digital and social infrastructure.

It shall likewise provide full support to climate change and disaster risk vulnerable areas, the social sector, and basic public services, it said.

It shall also incorporate provision of funds for capacity-building programs for local government units (LGUs) to enable them to assume the devolved functions and services, according to the Budget department.

The 2024 budget shall also provide funds for agencies' regional programs which are responsive to the needs of the disadvantaged and lagging LGUs, the agency said.

“The President’s directive is clear— we need to assure that no Filipino will be left behind.  Everyone will be part of the development as we will give full support to the poorest and most vulnerable sectors by providing basic public services,” said Pangandaman.

Moreover, the government will continue to implement interventions as a response to external pressures such as the continuing Russian-Ukraine war and the economic scarring brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The interventions will be in the areas of food security, transport and logistics, energy, bureaucratic efficiency and fiscal management, health, education and social protection. 

“These interventions will ensure the unimpeded and adequate delivery of social services, mitigate inflation pressures, accelerate economic recovery, and address economic scarring,” National Budget Memorandum No. 145 read.

With limited fiscal space, the DBM said that only implementation-ready agency proposals are included in the FY 2024 budget.

“We need to manage our budget efficiently. We should promote fiscal discipline. We expect the agencies’ budget proposals to contain concrete program plans and designs that signify their readiness for implementation,”  said Pangandaman.

“The DBM shall also look into the agencies’ previous year budget utilization and performance as part of its evaluation process,” she added.

The DBM said the government will continue the adoption of administrative reforms for greater transparency, openness, accountability and reliability.  These reforms include Cash Budgeting System, Open Government Partnership (OGP), among others.

The agency said it will start its series of consultations this month through a Budget Forum with national government agencies and government corporations; and in February 2023 with Regional Development Councils, civil society organizations, and student/faculty associations, and Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News