House starts deliberations on proposed P5.024-T 2022 budget

The House of Representatives on Thursday began its deliberations on the proposed P5.024 trillion national budget for 2022.

The House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Rep. Eric Go Yap, led the discussions.

The first day of the budget hearing is focused on the macroeconomic assumptions on next year’s budget of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC)—composed of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Finance (DOF), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

“Today we will be deliberating the macroeconomic assumptions adopted and approved by the Development Budget Coordination Committee or DBCC to arrive at the P5.024 trillion budget,” Yap said.

“We shall determine the viability of the proposed revenue program, the borrowing, and financing requirements to finance the proposed expenditure program. We shall also determine the prioritization adopted in allocating our financial resources for the fiscal year 2022 budget amid the continuing threat of this global pandemic,” he said.

Among the attendees in the “hybrid” budget deliberations are Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, NEDA Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, and DBM officer-in-charge Tina Canda.

On Monday, the DBM submitted to the House the 2022 National Expenditure Program, which proposes a P5.024-trillion national budget for the next fiscal year.

“As the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations,  I am tasked to spearhead and steer the Committee on Appropriations to review and approve the proposed 2022 budget of the National Government,” Yap said.

“It is the responsibility of this Committee and the House of Representatives to scrutinize every amount of the taxpayer's money used in this P5.024 trillion Budget for fiscal year 2022,” he said.

Yap earlier said the House is targeting to end deliberations on September 30, second and final reading.

“We will be on break on October 1 and be back in the first week of November,” he said.

During his opening speech on Thursday’s hearing, the lawmaker called on members of the House to “participate and be active in our deliberations and pass this budget without delay.”

“Twelve months ago, when we deliberated the 2021 national budget, we were dealing with the effects of the pandemic, and yet the virus persists up to this day and is more threatening with the emergence of new variants,” Yap said.

“But we will not be deterred by the threat of this unseen enemy, COVID-19, from performing our solemn duties to our country and our people to provide an effective pandemic response through this budget. We must act swiftly, efficiently, effectively to win the fight against COVID-19 in the coming years,’ he said.

Top departments

The education sector, which is composed of the Department of Education, state universities and colleges, and the Commission on Higher Education, is being proposed to receive the biggest chunk of the budget, with a total of P773.6 billion.

Next in line is the Department of Public Works and Highways with P686.1 billion, followed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government with P250.4 billion.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation only comes fourth, with P242.0 billion.

Other agencies that are proposed to have huge budget allocations include the Department of National Defense (P222.0 billion), Department of Social Welfare and Development (P191.4 billion), Department of Transportation (P151.3 billion), the Department of Agriculture and National Irrigation Administration (P103.5 billion), the Judiciary with P45.0 billion, and the Department of Labor and Employment (P44.9 billion)

By expense class, bulk of the budget, with the amount of P1.456 trillion or 29.0% of the 2022 NEP, will be allocated to the Personnel Services for the hiring of healthcare workers and teaching personnel as well as the enforcement of third tranche of the Salary Standardization Law V, and the requirements of the 2018 Military and Uniformed Personnel pension arrears, among others.

When it comes to the sector, the Social Services Sector will receive the biggest chunk, with P1.922 trillion, which is higher by 15.2% compared to this year's national budget.

This will be utilized to fund health-related services such as the continued enforcement of the Universal Health Care Act, procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, personal protective equipment, and others.

Earlier, the DBM said the proposed national budget for 2022 is higher by 11.5% than the P4.5-trillion fiscal program for 2021. It is also equivalent to 22.8% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

According to the DBCC, the proposed budget will continue "to invest in building the country’s resilience amidst the pandemic by prioritizing funding for COVID-19 response measures, such as healthcare development and social services."

“I also appeal to the heads of the executive department that we must be bold enough to show to our people our sincere desire to pass this budget on time,” Yap said.

“Give it your utmost cooperation, participation, and attention. May we remind you of your duty under Section 22, Article VII of the Constitution, requiring your appearance before the House of Representatives in any matter pertaining to your department,” he said.—AOL, GMA News