PNoy's office presents P2.82-B budget plan for 2016

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the President (OP) told the House of Representatives on Thursday that it will need a P2.82-billion budget next year.

Appearing before the House Committee on Appropriations, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa presented the proposed 2016 budget plan of the OP, which is 10 percent higher than the P2.567-billion allocation in 2015.

The OP increased its spending plan for next year due to higher funding requirement for personnel services and capital outlays.

The proposed funding for the OP's maintenance and other operating expenses went up from P1.91 billion to P1.95 billion while the proposed budget for capital outlay was hiked from P20 million to P96.9 million.

The proposed budget for personnel services was raised from P637 million to P771.67 million to meet the "actual salaries and other compensation benefits" of all OP personnel as of Dec. 31, 2014, including retirement and life insurance premiums.

Ochoa said 71 percent of the proposed P2.82-billion budget of the OP would be earmarked for operations while 29 percent will be spent for general administration and support services.

The OP provides executive, technical, management, advisory and legal services to the president.

Under Executive Order 292, the OP consists of the OP-Proper, bodies under the chairmanship of the president, other executive offices and government-owned and controlled corporations.