The House Committee on Appropriations chairman has reminded the different government agencies to spend their budgets well in order for benefits like newly-generated jobs to trickle down to common Filipinos. This, as committee chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co noted in a statement Wednesday, March 15 that there were 4.09 million more employed Filipinos for the first month of 2023, compared to January 2022 "In other words, 4.09 million found work or work found them. They were unemployed before but were no longer jobless last January. These job figures confirm how the economy is recovering from the pandemic, and I credit some of that to the 2022 national budget," he said. "Those January 2023 employment figures also serve as a good springboard for this year’s budget to follow through on what last year’s budget was able to restart," Co reckoned. This year’s budget, which passed through the scrutiny of the House appropriations panel, is worth P5.268 trillion. "I remind the departments and other agencies with infra funds to obligate and spend those funds this year, and any infra funds obligated last year but not yet spent should also be spent in 2023," he said. "I also remind all departments and agencies to make sure they avoid the election spending ban that comes with the Barangay and SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) Elections in October this year and the rainy season that comes from July to September while also following the  government procurement law and regulations," Co said. The village and youth polls will take place on Oct. 30. "We are already in the month of March, which means the government agencies have April, May, and June and then from November to December for the infra and another major spending, They should apply lessons learned by improving absorptive capacity and spending in those months where spending and projects could be hampered," the House leader pointed out. Co noted that during last year's budget hearings, members of Congress kept citing the billions worth of projects and programs that were delayed and not implemented. "We should have much fewer delays and non-implementation this year. But the time the 2024 budget hearings get underway next August, we expect accomplishment reports, not apologies and excuses," he said.