DBM tightens guidelines on 2015 budget

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management has imposed stricter guidelines on the release and utilization of the 2015 national budget.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the funds would be released directly to the National Government agencies.

Agencies must ensure that priority socio-economic and development program and projects as well as those intended to mitigate and address disaster-related concerns, are executed within one year, thereby allowing the delivery of public goods and services at the soonest possible time, Abad said.

“Timely implementation of programs and projects as a result of good planning will improve public spending and the quality of service delivery to the public,” Abad said.

According to Abad,  the  head of agency will be held personally liable for any payment of expenditures not in accordance with the rules issued by the DBM.

Funds allocated for regional offices but included in the budget of their central offices shall be directly released to said ROs in accordance with the approved distribution of expenditures.

Lump-sum appropriations will only be released upon receipt by DBM of the complete details or list of sub-program/activities with a corresponding cost up to the lowest level (provincial, city, municipal level as the case may be, Abad said.

To promote greater budget efficiency, Abad directed all government agencies to execute their programs, activities and projects and deliver planned results in a timely manner.

Abad said the DBM would continue to implement vital reforms to efficiently monitor the utilization of public funds.

These include the General Appropriations Act-as-Release Document to facilitate the procurement process and bolster the efforts to minimize carry-over allotments in the succeeding year and  the Unified Accounts Code Structure to ensure efficient fund release, accounting and reporting of financial transactions by agencies.