The House of Representatives on Thursday, Oct. 14 re-aligned a total P65.504 billion from the proposed 2022 national budget of P5.024 trillion to finance priority programs under a pandemic situation that included the procurement of additional anti-COVID 19 vaccines and booster shots.
ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric Go Yap, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said the proposed re-alignment of funds will comprise the amendments of the chamber to House Bill 10153 or the 2022 General Appropriations Bill that was approved on third and final reading on Sept. 30.
With the amendments consolidated and already approved by the so-called “small committee”, final copy of HB 10153 will finally be transmitted to the Senate.
Yap did not mention what 2022 government programs or departments will suffer cuts as a result of the realignment.
Neither was there a mention of how much recipient programs will have in total as a result of the additional allocation.
The amendments call for additional P29.5 billion for the Department of Health. A total P20 billion will go to the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots; P5 billion for the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients program that includes hospitalization and assistance to indigent patients and P4.5 billion Special Risk Allowance to qualified public and private health workers.
The appropriations panel provided the Department of Labor additional P10 billion for its “Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers Program (TUPAD).
More funds for DOLE has been sought by Probinsyano Ako Partylist Rep. Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr. who cited former Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III for the successful implementation of programs aimed at cushioning the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the country’s labor force.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development budget will be increased by P11 billion under the House amendments.
The additional DSWD allocation will go the the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, P10 billion and Sustainable Livelihood Program P1 billion.
Meanwhile, P6 billion will go to the Department of Transportation for the continued implementation of its Service Contracting Program which involvesthe grant of assistance to public transport drivers and operators.
Four state universities and colleges situated in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will now receive funds through the P504 million budget granted by the Lower Chamber.
Also receiving additional funding are the Department of Information and Communications, P3 billion and Department of National Defense, P5.5 billion.
DICT’s supplemental appropriations will finance the national broadband network while the DND will earmark its additional budget as downpayment for the acquisition of five units C-130 J aircraft for the Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief operations of the Philippine Air Force.
"The FY 2020 National Budget is crucial for our full recovery from the pandemic as a nation. After careful consideration and consultations, we have finalized the amendments for HBN 10153,” said Yap.
He added: “As illustrated, we have appropriated additional budget to the following agencies to further enable them to swiftly, efficiently, and effectively address the needs of the Filipino people.”