Congress ratifies 2021 national budget

P70 billion allotted for COVID-19 vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — Congress yesterday ratified the P4.506-trillion national budget for next year that will be crucial for the government’s recovery programs for the COVID-19 pandemic and a string of destructive typhoons.

The bicameral conference committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate completed its report on the 2021 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) after reconciling differences in the versions earlier passed by both chambers in weeklong meetings.

House appropriations chairman Eric Yap and Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero, who led the House contingent in the bicam and signed the report for the lower chamber, revealed that several institutional amendments were made in the GAB to better address the urgent needs of Filipinos.

The Senate delegation, led by finance committee chairman Sonny Angara, signed the report for the upper chamber.

Later in the evening, the House ratified the report and officially passed the 2021 national budget.

The top 10 agencies and sectors with the biggest appropriations in the 2021 GAB are the education sector (Department of Education, state universities and colleges, Commission on Higher Education and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) with P708.1 billion; Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), P694.8 billion; Department of Health (DOH), P287.4 billion; Department of the Interior and Local Government, P247.5 billion; Department of National Defense, P205.5 billion; Department Social Welfare and Development, P176.7 billion; Department of Transportation, P87.4 billion; Department of Agriculture, P68.6 billion; the judiciary, P44.1 billion; and the Department of Labor and Employment, P36.6 billion.

The allotment showed a significant cut of P46 billion from the funding for the education agencies, where P754 billion was originally proposed by the Department of Budget and Management to Congress under the National Expenditure Program.

There was also a P17-billion decrease in the budget of the DPWH, from P667 billion in the NEP.

The final budget bill version, however, showed a notable increase in the proposed budget of the DOH of P84 billion from P203 billion in the NEP.

The bicam panel also retained the P19-billion budget of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict for the government’s anti-insurgency program against the New People’s Army, which militant lawmakers wanted scrapped because it will allegedly bolster red-tagging operations against them.

‘Serious commitment’

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, who led the House majority in the ratification, said the enrolled bill on the budget would be forwarded to Malacañang next week for President Duterte’s signature.

“This budget reflects the serious commitment of the Duterte government to defeat COVID-19 and bring the economy back on track,” Velasco said.

“When we keep our commitments to our fellow Filipinos and continue to put their interests first, we will surely overcome the health, social and economic impacts of the pandemic,” the Marinduque congressman added.

In an interview with reporters, Yap said the bicam increased the budget for procurement of COVID-19 vaccines as well as the appropriation for rehabilitation and recovery projects in provinces and towns hit by Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

The ACT-CIS party-list representative bared that about P70 billion was allocated for purchase of vaccines next year under “unprogrammed” funds or standby funding.

“Some think that (in) unprogrammed (appropriations), (vaccine purchase) will not be funded. But that’s not true. The probability of it being funded is large. We’re assured by the (Department of Finance) that it will be really funded,” Angara told reporters immediately after the bicameral committee wrapped up its proceedings at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel before noon yesterday.

“What’s important is the funding is there and can be accessed, and in the case of unprogrammed funds, the triggers for release is exceeding non-tax revenues, which has been done in past years and is very, very likely for 2021. We have been assured,” he said in a separate message to reporters.

Yap, who also chairs the House bicam contingent, said such funding was realigned from “unimplementable” projects or projects that are impossible to be completed next year.

He added that P23 billion was also allotted for rehabilitation of areas ravaged by the strong typhoons last October and November.

For Romero, the timely ratification of the 2021 budget is crucial to establishing herd immunity from the coronavirus, which is necessary for the country’s economic recovery from the recession caused by the pandemic.

Apart from purchasing vaccines, the 1-Pacman congressman said the final version of the 2021 GAB would also cover enhancement of health facilities and financial aid to poor families.

“As promised by President Duterte and the leaderships of Congress, we have come up with a budget that is very timely and responsive to the urgent needs of our countrymen, particularly the COVID-19 vaccine and the rehabilitation of areas hit by the typhoons,” he said in a statement.

Romero, vice chair of the House bicam contingent and deputy speaker for political affairs, lauded fellow lawmakers for passing the budget on time.

“This is a result of our hard work to make sure we will have the budget signed before the yearend and avoid another reenacted budget just like in 2019,” he said.

“Rest assured that we at the House of Representatives will closely monitor the spending of the 2021 budget through our oversight power to ensure that the money will really go where it should,” he added.

Yap said the ratified 2021 budget would now be printed and could be ready for Duterte’s signature by Dec. 18 at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the ranking lawmaker also revealed that House leaders are eyeing to extend the validity of Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) until March next year.

“We are looking at March next year, but it still depends on the needs. If we think that everything has not been utilized, we can extend it further,” he said.

‘Targeted, laser-focused’

Sen. Grace Poe welcomed the 2021 national budget’s ratification, saying it “is timely, targeted and laser-focused on our people who are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Poe said the GAB seeks to respond to the real needs for better health protection, equal access to quality education, efficient transportation and infrastructure and inclusive social protection.

“Receiving much-needed appropriation is the cash-for-work program for our displaced workers and (overseas Filipino workers). As our greatest human resources, the Filipino workers will fuel the revival of the economy,” she added.

Funds will also be poured in to set up the national broadband infrastructure for better, accessible and affordable internet services – a valuable necessity to workers, students and businesses in this new normal, according to the senator.

“Our work must not stop here. The task of overseeing the responsible, prompt and honest spending rests on all of us. This way, we can use the budget as a lifeline to emerge stronger from this crisis,” she said.

Timely enactment

Malacañang expressed hope that next year’s budget will be enacted on time because it will fund measures designed to combat COVID-19 and to revive the country’s economy.

“Remember, Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2 were crafted by Congress because there is a need to make adjustments in the budget. Right now, our priority is to pass the 2021 budget and I hope Congress will be able to do that. I am sure Congress will be able to do that because we do not see problems in the 2021 budget,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing yesterday.

The P4.5-trillion spending bill should be approved first before conducting discussions on a possible third tranche of the Bayanihan law, according to the Cabinet secretary.

Nograles noted that national budgets are usually signed into law before Christmas.

“I think that would really boost also the confidence of investors, the private sector and the consuming public if the 2021 budget is passed,” he said.

“The 2021 budget also means jobs, jobs, jobs for the people. A huge chunk of the budget for 2021 is devoted not only to Build, Build, Build, but also to Plant, Plant, Plant and the programs of the (Department of Trade and Industry) for micro, small and medium enterprises,” he added. – AlexisRomero