Bill tweaking sources for unprogrammed funds in 2023 budget gets penultimate House nod
At A Glance
- The House of Representatives has passed on second reading the measure that seeks to provide an additional criterion for the availment of unprogrammed appropriations, amendimg for the purpose the current 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) or national budget.
(Unsplash)
The House of Representatives has passed on second reading the measure that seeks to provide an additional criterion for the availment of unprogrammed appropriations, amendimg for the purpose the current 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) or national budget.
Approved via simple voice vote (ayes vs, nayes) during plenary session Tuesday, Nov. 21 was House Bill (HB) No.9513. It was principally authored by Albay 2nd Joey Salceda.
If enacted, the measure would allow the government to tap excess revenues of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) in order to bankroll items under the unprogrammed funds in the GAA.
It was only last week that the House Committee on Appropriations approved HB No.9513 and paved the way for it to reach plenary consideration.
Salceda, the sponsor, defended the measure at length on Monday, Nov. 20, mostly from members of the minority.
Among the various projects and programs listed under the unprogrammed funds for this year are the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients or MAIP (P13 billion), specialty hospitals (P2 billion), benefits for healthcare frontliners (P5 billion), Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) (P10 billion), and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (P2 billion.
Also under the unprogrammed funds of the 2023 GAA are the solar-powered irrigation (P10 billion), .Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (P5 billion), pension para sa indigent senior citizens [P5 billion), Libreng Sakay programs or free rides (P2 billion), construction of bike lanes (P1 billion), and the fuel subsidy program (P2.5 billion).
The current budget is P5.268 trillion, the largest in the country’s history. However, it will be eclipsed by the proposed P5.768-trillion spending plan for 2024 once it is enacted.
Under the current laws, unprogrammed appropriations in the national budget may only be funded by the following:
• Excess revenue collection in any non-tax revenue source from its corresponding revenue collection target as reflected in the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing;
• New revenue collection or those arising from new tax or non-tax sources which are not part of, nor included in, the original revenue sources reflected in the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing; and
• Approved loans for foreign-assisted projects.