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RITM appeals for budget hike after P170-million cut


Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate questioned the P170-million slash on the proposed 2022 budget of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), despite its significant role in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.

"Ang isang nakakabahala lang sa akin, ang RITM, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine ay puwede ba mapaliwanag shortly lang ni Secretary Duque bakit 'yung kanyang operating expenses ay nabawasan ng P170 million. Napakalaki ng papel ng RITM sa nagaganap pa rin ngayon na raging pandemic," Zarate said during the deliberations of the agency's P242.22 proposed budget.

It was RITM director Celia Carlos who responded to the lawmaker's inquiry, confirming that their proposed budget was slashed. She admitted that this would have an adverse effect on the agency. 

"The budget cut is P170 million... it's from the line item of national reference laboratories, so we have actually appealed this budget cut as part of the DOH package of appeals and it will be very difficult for us to continue addressing this pandemic if this budget cut will be pursued," Carlos said.

Carlos said they have appealed the slash and even asked for an augmentation.

"We have filed an appeal. In fact we have requested an increase for an additional budget for the national reference labs for the coming 2022 budget," she said.

Zarate said he would support the restoration of the P170 million for RITM.

"Bakit ang national laboratory na ito ay kaltasan mo ng P170 million na tayo ay nasa isang napakatinding krisis nitong pandemya ng COVID na 'to. This is not really acceptable. Naglalagay tayo ng napakalaking pondo sa mga items na puwede pa naman hindi pondohan," he said.

The RITM is the national reference laboratory and biggest coronavirus disease 2019 testing center.

Senator Nancy Binay already questioned the budget cut of RITM, which was slashed to P223 million in 2022 from P393 million this year. The senator lamented that while the RITM's budget was decreased, the fund for NTF-ELCAC rose to P28.1 billion.

Binay had said the RITM should be given a higher priority and that its budget should be expanded and increased.—LDF, GMA News

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