GOVPH

Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One” Act, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P100-billion to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to cover the funding requirements for the social amelioration programs to mitigate the impact of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).       Specifically, the released amount shall be used for the Protective Services for Individuals and Families in Especially Difficult Circumstances or Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and shall be extended to the target low-income household beneficiaries in the form of cash. Said amount will be augmented once the same is liquidated and/or reported to be deficient.  To streamline and harmonize the various social amelioration programs of the Government, Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, series of 2020 or the Special Guidelines on the Provision of Special Amelioration Measures to the Most Affected Residents of the Areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine, was crafted and released by the DBM, DSWD, Department of Agriculture, Department of Finance, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of...

To ensure unhampered operation of the national government in the midst of the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as continuous provision of compensation to all government officials, employees and those engaged under contract of services (COS), job orders (JOs), and other similar schemes, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released the corresponding Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) for the 2nd Quarter operating requirements of all National Government Agencies (NGAs) including offices enjoying fiscal autonomy, to the respective Authorized Government Servicing Banks as of 27 March 2020. The said NCAs are ready for crediting to the respective MDS Accounts of agencies on the first working day of April 2020. Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) covering the salary differential to implement the first tranche of the compensation adjustment for civilian personnel, as authorized under Republic Act (RA) No. 11466 and National Budget Circular No. 579, were also issued to enable agencies to release the salary adjustments effective 1 January 2020. Also included in the NCAs released are funds to cover the clothing allowance, as well as the Mid-Year Bonus...

The Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) has simplified the government procurement process by issuing a guide for all Procuring Entities (PEs) in the conduct of their Procurement Projects under a state of calamity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following rules were approved through GPPB Resolution No. 03-2020 wherein PEs are allowed to apply the rules on Negotiated Procurement (Emergency Case)  during a state of calamity given the COVID-19 pandemic:   The Procurement projects covered under Negotiated Procurement (Emergency Cases) are goods, civil work projects as well as lease of real property or venues such as those used as quarantine centers, evacuation sites, medical relief and aid distribution locations, among others. The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) need not be the one to recommend the revision of the Annual Procurement Plan (APP). End-user units or any other appropriate procuring units can also directly recommend revisions to the Head of the Procuring Entity (HoPE) subject to the availability of funds. Moreover, a separate written confirmation requirement from the HoPE is not needed prior to the approval of the contract. The HoPE may also authorize the End-user...

On 19 March 2020, the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management issued Joint Circular (JC) No. 1, s. 2020, entitled “Interim Guidelines Governing Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order (JO) Workers in the Government for the Duration of the State of Calamity and Community Quarantine Due to the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19)”.Among others, JC No. 1, s. 2020 provides that COS and JO workers who will be required to work from home shall be paid their corresponding salaries/wages during the community quarantine period. Further, COS and JO workers who will not be required to report for work due to work suspension and those who are not part of the agency skeletal workforce shall be paid their corresponding salaries/wages during the community quarantine period as exception to the “no work, no pay” principle but only for the duration of the community quarantine period due to the COVID-19.Appropriate additional benefits may also be granted to COS and JO workers who will be part of the agency skeletal workforce and will be able to physically report for work during the quarantine period, as may be authorized by the Office of the President.   (30) Email: This email...

Relative to the declaration of a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the country pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 922 dated March 8, 2020 and the issuance of the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated 16 March 2020, “By Order of the President,” which contained, among others, that work in the executive department shall be done from home until April 13, 2020, subject to the formation of skeletal workforces to maintain the unimpeded delivery of services to the public, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) assures the public its continued operations while complying with the directives in the Memorandum. Releases of allotments and cash allocations shall be facilitated to cover the requirements of the government.   “This situation calls for the cooperation and partnership of both the government and the private sectors in addressing the current emergency and its impending effects and consequences.  Therefore, the DBM will ensure the continued release of funds for the requirements of the government, especially for the Department of Health to address the COVID-19 situation and other urgent health concerns, funds for our infrastructure projects under the Build...

The President’s Affirmation Message dated January 6, 2020 on the FY 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA), Republic Act No. 11465, particularly on Section IV on Increases of Appropriations and New Budgetary Items, states:   As a final note, let me emphasize that the increases and new budgetary items introduced in this Act by Congress shall be subject to the National Government’s cash programming and prudent observance of responsible fiscal management, applicable rules and procedures during budget execution, and approval by the President based on the programmed priorities of the government.   Inasmuch as said increases and new items have corresponding effects in the respective outputs and outcomes of the agencies concerned, the DBM shall inform the agencies of the changes in their respective appropriations and require the submission of documents to ensure their implementation-readiness and alignment with the programmed priorities of the government. (emphasis supplied)   Upon the enactment of the FY 2020 GAA, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) issued National Budget Circular (NBC) No. 578 dated January 6, 2020 to prescribe the guidelines on the release of funds for FY 2020. ...

MANILA, Philippines - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte today signed into law the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which appropriates PhP4.1 trillion for the operations of the national government. Carrying the theme “Continuing the journey to a more peaceful and progressive Philippines”, the FY 2020 national budget will build upon the gains made over the first three and a half years of President Duterte’s Administration by continuing the thrust for genuine change, inclusive growth, and equitable development to build a better Philippines. The PhP4.1 trillion budget, which is equivalent to 19.5 percent of projected gross domestic product, is the country’s largest to date, larger by 12 percent than the 2019 budget. It will sustain the critical infrastructure, human capital development, and peace and order initiatives of the Administration to support socio-economic growth. Both chambers of Congress sustained the budgetary priorities of the President when they passed the 2020 national budget last December as shown by the sectoral breakdown of the budget. The social services sector accounts for the largest bulk of the budget at PhP1.495 trillion, or 36.5 percent of the...