The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has instructed government agencies with low budget utilization rates to submit their catch-up plans.
In a DBM circular letter dated June 28, the budget department ordered heads of departments, agencies, bureaus, and offices of the national government to provide their 2024 budget utilization report as of June 30, 2024.
The DBM also asked to report the current status of flagship programs and projects of the Marcos administration, especially those with significant budget allocations.
The circular, signed by Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, stated that the submission deadline is 30 days after the end of the second quarter.
Furthermore, the DBM mandated that agencies with utilization rates below 50 percent submit "detailed catch-up plans."
According to the circular, these catch-up plans should outline specific implementation issues or challenges that have led to the low utilization rates.
“The DBM is committed to promoting the sound, efficient, and effective management and utilization of government resources,” Pangandaman said.
In 2024, the Marcos administration has set a disbursement program of P5.754 trillion. As of May, the national government has already spent P2.258 trillion, which accounts for 39.2 percent of the target amount.
For the first six months of the year, the national government has a spending target of P2.739 trillion. To meet this goal, it needs to allocate P481 billion for expenditures in June alone.
Comparatively, in June 2023, the national government's total expenditures amounted to P492.71 billion.
According to a report by the DBM, government agencies registered a cash utilization rate of 94 percent at end-May.
This means that out of the total P1.89 trillion in cash allocation notices issued to national agencies, local governments, and state-owned corporations, they used P1.78 trillion, leaving P115.55 billion unused.
Compared to the previous year, the utilization rate was 91 percent.
NCAs serve as a quarterly disbursement authority issued by the DBM to government offices, enabling them to access funds from the Bureau of the Treasury for their expenditure requirements.
In May alone, the utilization amounted to P477.19 billion out of P494.15 billion.