DBM submits proposed P3.35-T budget for 2017 to House of Representatives

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday submitted to the House of Representatives its proposed national budget of P3.35 trillion for 2017.

The proposed budget – the first under the Duterte administration – is higher by 11.6 percent than the 2016 budget of P3.002 trillion.

At a media briefing, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the 2017 budget is compliant with the Supreme Court (SC) rulings declaring the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) or pork barrel and parts of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as unconstitutional.

Diokno dismissed as “rumors” the reported P80-million allocation per congressman for their projects.

“As I told you, there is no hard and fast rule. For example, a congressman might identify P100 million worth of projects but they are not eligible, both of them are basketball courts, zero di ba,” Diokno said.

“But for somebody who identify projects that are worthwhile, these are consistent with the desires of the President to develop the countryside, we would of course consider,” he added.

Budget highlights

The Department of Education (DepEd) will receive the biggest slice of the budget pie among the government departments, with P570.4 billion, a 31-percent hike compared to the operating budget.

According to the DBM, the DepEd budget will sustain the K to 12 program, construct nearly 37,500 classrooms, hire 53,831 additional teachers, and provide assistance to 2.7 million students in private schools.

The budget for state universities and colleges (SUCs) is pegged at P58.8 billion, 18.3 percent higher than the P47.9 billion this year.

Budget for the health sector will expand to P151.5 billion, P4.3 billion of which will be spent to support the implementation of the Reproductive Health (RH) law.

A total of P21.9 billion will also be used for health facilities such as the construction and rehabilitation of 58 Department of Health hospitals and 16 drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers.

To support the Duterte administration's drive against crime, illegal drugs, and terrorism, the budgets for both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were increased substantially.

The PNP will get P110.4 billion, higher by 24.6 percent than in 2016, to hire more policemen, purchase more guns and patrol vehicles, and finance other activities in relation to crime suppression.

The AFP will receive P130.6 billion, which is 15 percent higher, to intensify counter-terrorism efforts and protect the Philippines' borders.

Meanwhile, the budget allocation for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program was hiked to P78.7 billion after the Duterte administration added P23.4 billion as rice allowance for millions os beneficiary families.

The rice allowance for CCT beneficiaries was a campaign promise of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Timely approval

House Committee on Appropriations and Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles committed to the timely approval of the proposed 2017 budget.

“The House of Representatives will not falter in its role to pass the 2017 budget on time,” Nograles said.

“We expect more programs in government that will be responsive to the needs of our people,” he added.

Nograles earlier said he expects the House of Representatives to pass the budget on December 7.

Briefings on the budget of government agencies and departments will start on August 15. — RSJ, GMA News