GOVPH

The DBM, and the Administration, through the proposed FY 2020 Budget, aims to continue the Philippines’s journey to a more peaceful and progressive nation, by funding the critical programs of the Administration. “The 2020 National Budget… will aim to build on the fruits and gains of the previous annual expenditure programs of the Administration, not only to ensure but [also] to consolidate the gains, for the bright future of the Philippines and its people”, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said in his budget message. Among the critical programs of the Administration are measures to implement new laws and policies that provide economic and social assistance to all Filipinos, and enhance the security of the nation, such as the: (1) full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act, (2) institutionalization of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, (3) smooth transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, (4) implementation of the Rice Liberalization Act, (5) creation of the Department for Human Settlements and Urban Development, and (6) National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. In view of the full implementation of the Universal Health Care...

Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) utilization of the national government reached a total of PhP1.569 trillion in the period of January to July 2019, equivalent to 93 percent of the PhP1.688 worth of NCAs released, data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed. The 93 percent year-to-date NCA utilization rate recorded in July this year is a vast improvement over the 73 percent rate for the same period last year, though total NCAs used as of July this year are lower by PhP25 million . From January to July 2018, PhP1.594 trillion worth of NCAs was used out of the PhP2.033 trillion in NCAs released to the national government agencies. Line departments were able to use PhP1.153 trillion of the PhP1.244 trillion in NCAs released to them for January to July this year, which is also equivalent to a 93 percent NCA utilization rate. NCAs refer to the disbursement authority issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to cover the cash requirements of the operations, programs, and projects of government agencies. A higher NCA utilization rate demonstrates the capacity of line agencies to timely disburse their allocated funds and implement their programs and...

On August 6, 2019, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released PhP2.6 billion to the Department of Health-Central Office (DOH-CO). This amount covers the funding requirements for the implementation of various infrastructure projects and the purchase of medical equipment for various recipient Barangay Health Stations (BHS), Rural Health Units (RHU), Local Government Unit (LGU) Hospitals, DOH Hospitals, other health facilities, and beneficiary National Government Agencies under the FY 2019 Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).   The HFEP is a national program that assists in enabling government healthcare facilities to provide quality health care towards the attainment of the Philippine Health Agenda through the allocation of Capital Outlay for the procurement of health infrastructure, medical equipment, and land outlay for selected DOH hospitals.   Through the HFEP, health facilities and hospitals will be upgraded and provided with appropriate medical equipment and enhanced infrastructure, leading to a high quality and accessible health care delivery system.   Aside from the PhP2.6 billion for the HFEP, the DBM also previously released PhP627.5 million to DOH-CO on July...

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released Php3.263 trillion or 89.1 percent of the PhP3.662 trillion Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 obligation program, as of July 31, 2019.   Allotment releases to the line departments reached PhP1.923 trillion. These include funds allocated for agencies in the Executive branch, Congress, the Judiciary, and other constitutional offices. In addition, fund releases from Special Purpose Funds (SPFs) amounted to PhP222.143 billion. Special Purpose Funds (SPFs) are budgetary allocations in the GAA allocated for specific socio-economic purposes such as Budgetary Support to Government Corporations, Allocation to Local Government Units, Contingent Fund, Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, and Pension and Gratuity Fund. The immediate release of funds by the DBM will ensure that national government agencies are able to swiftly implement their programs and projects, such as the construction of new roads, schools, and hospitals, and the protection and promotion of the welfare of the poor and marginalized sectors, among others. Automatic Appropriations Allotment releases for automatic...

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) welcomes the newly-appointed Acting Secretary Wendel E. Avisado. He took his oath before President Rodrigo R. Duterte last Monday, August 5.   Secretary Avisado previously served as Presidential Assistant for Special Concerns to oversee the rehabilitation of the areas affected by typhoon Yolanda. He also served as Deputy Secretary General for the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council from September 2010 to April 2015 and as City Administrator of Davao City from 2004 to 2010. He was formerly a Regional Director of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Regions XI and XII, Co-Chair of the Regional Development Council of Region XI, and was elected twice as City Councilor of the First District of Davao City.   The new Acting Secretary completed his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo de Davao University. He also pursued further studies in development from the Asian Institute of Management and the Development Academy of the Philippines.   Besides having a long and distinguished career in government service, Secretary Avisado is an active member of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. He is the immediate past National...

In view of the President’s approval of the PhP4.1 trillion FY 2020 Budget, the DBM will be finalizing the FY 2020 National Expenditure Program (NEP) and other budget documents for submission to Congress before the 30-day Constitutional deadline, which will fall on August 21, 2019. During the 40th Cabinet meeting held last August 5, 2019, the Cabinet members and, ultimately, the President approved the proposed PhP4.1 trillion FY 2020 Budget. The FY 2020 Budget aims to respond to the needs of the Filipino people, embody the hopes and dreams of every citizen, and realize the promises that were made by the Administration. It will sustain the tremendous progress that the Philippines has made as a nation, hence the theme “Continuing the Journey to a More Peaceful and Progressive Philippines”. The theme is consistent with the Administration’s goal of becoming a middle-income country where no one lacks opportunities. Every peso of the proposed PhP4.1 trillion FY 2020 Budget went through numerous levels of scrutiny and approval, and budget hearings and consultations with the agencies. Every step of the budget process keeps in mind the objective of lifting millions of Filipinos out of...

National government spending on salaries and pension payments, social investment and protection programs, and local government aid sped up this June to temper the slowdown in overall first semester government expenditures, data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed.   Particularly, first semester spending on Personnel Services for this year increased by 9.3 percent (equivalent to PhP42.8 billion) relative to last year due to the implementation of the fourth tranche of salary increases for civilian employees, the second year of implementation of the base pay increase for active military and uniformed personnel (MUP), and adjustments in pension payments for retired MUP.   Meanwhile, the payouts of cash grants to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and payments of prior year’s accounts payables for educational subsidies under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education of the Department of Education, and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Program of the Commission on Higher Education enabled the national government to maintain roughly the same level of first semester spending on Maintenance and Other...