Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed on Monday, Nov. 29, the city government's budget for 2022 amounting to P22.2 billion, a huge portion of which is being allocated for social services.

During the budget signing held at noon on Monday at the Manila City Hall, Domagoso said 53.86 percent of the total budget amounting to around P11.95 billion is allocated for the city's social services like healthcare, education, social amelioration, and food security program.

"Tao muna ang mauna sa Maynila sa 2022," (The people come first in Manila in 2022) he said.

According to the Manila Public Information Office, the percentage allocated for social services will be divided as follows: 16.69 percent for Health Services, 10.72 percent for the social amelioration program, 5.10 percent for food pack distribution, and 3.81 percent for education, which totals to about 36.32 percent out of the 53.86 percent total budget.

“Binawasan natin yung mga pagawain bayan sa kalsada at nilakihan yung portion na makaramdam naman ang taong bayan sa lungsod ng Maynila na may gobyerno sa Maynila (We reduced funding towards infrastructure development and increased the portion for social services so that the citizens of Manila can be better served),” said Domaogoso.

Domagoso was joined by Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, City Budget officer Atty. Grace Chua, Rep. Yul Servo-Nieto, and members of the City Council during the budget signing.

An increase of P 2.2 billion is seen in the 2022 budget compared to the 2021 budget of around P 20 billion, and a P 4.35 billion increase from the 2020 budget of P17.85 billion.

The city’s 2021 budget of P 20 billion, which was focused more on addressing hunger and unemployment, allocated around P 10.945 billion for social services or 54.72 percent of the annual budget.

“Very responsive yung 53.86 na budget sa COVID,” said Domagoso.

"Gamot para i-survive yung tao, and facilities para may mapaglagakan at mapapanatag yung mga kamag-anak na maiimpeksiyon ng COVID-19," he added. (We need medicines for the people and storage for the vaccines as well as facilities where we can bring our COVID-19 patients.)

"We will be more vigilant. We will continue to be efficient in expenditures and we will find ways as much as possible to give free and better healthcare for each and everyone, not only for COVID-19, but for all other diseases," the mayor said.

Domagoso thanked Manilenyos for their continued trust on his government and assured that he will continue to ramp up efforts to balance the life and livelihood of the people.

"The city government is always certain of our direction -- life and livelihood -- yun ang direction natin sa 2022 at patuloy tayo maghahanda," he said (Life and livelihood will still be the same direction we will take in 2022 and we will continue to prepare for this.)