We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Budget season
Marathon meetings were held this week in the Senate and the House of Representatives in line with the budget season leading to the approval of the ever-increasing P5.7-trillion budget for 2024. The yearly “budget-serye” (budget series) never fails to disappoint in bringing out issues that extract the tiniest of details in our government that are given monetary figures in the form of public funds, amounting to millions and even billions of pesos. And every year, we see how the majority gets its way, especially early in the Administration, such as where we are right now. My biggest pet peeve in these sessions is the consistent usage of incompetent sponsors for specific government offices who deserve much better. These sponsors, whose mandate is to defend their sponsored government office before the increasingly knowledgeable and wise interpolators, must be technically and legally verbose and experts in the Philippine budget process. Clearly, this is all wishful thinking since we see neophyte, inarticulate, incapable, yet extremely loyal sponsors who would do anything to prove their worth to the powers that be, even if it means being humiliated and trending on social media for the wrong reasons. Indeed, this is the time for the opposition lawmakers to shine and feast on the mental shortcomings of their counterparts. The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives finds itself in the limelight as it engages in its own “hunting season” against willing victims, may they be Cabinet secretaries or, gasp, the Office of the Vice President, whose massive confidential and intelligence funds are being questioned repeatedly anew. Lo and behold, we have a statement from the House Appropriations Committee chairman that these OVP allocations will be realigned to more deserving government agencies, i.e., the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard. However, we have yet to see the indisputable evidence to prove this happened. Nevertheless, it is a fair and conclusive presumption to say that the majority will still get its way despite the awkward and unconvincing defenses and sponsorships in favor of the government agencies. Is the budget process faulty? It appears not since the correct agencies still receive what is due them. The problem, in my humble opinion, lies in the implementation of these budgets granted to them. For instance, the alleged spending by the OVP of its confidential funds amounting to P125 million in 19 days or 11 days, whichever is true, is a problem of implementation, not allocation. What prevented the OVP from spending this amount earlier? What’s likely is that the OVP rushed the spending so they would not be accused of failure in spending public funds for the right and correct reasons. The other issue on the alleged unconstitutional transfer of funds by the Office of the President to the OVP, while the GAA of 2023 was in effect, is likewise the product of faulty, inefficient implementation of the law. It is illegal for a government office, such as the Office of the President, to casually assign a portion of its fund to the OVP because this renders the budget process faulty and even useless. If there is something that may be attributed to faulty implementation, it can be its failure to set proper safeguards that would lead to the enforcement of new ones. In fact, a Supreme Court decision on the alleged unconstitutional transfer made by the OP to the OVP is in the works. This would place the 2023 “budget-serye” on record as the landmark budget season that would define those in the coming years. For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com. The post Budget season appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Solon: OVP ‘fund shift’ constitutional
One of the vice chairpersons of the House Committee on Appropriations on Sunday has joined other members of the panel in clarifying that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s transfer of P125 million to the office of Vice President Sara Duterte was not unconstitutional. Iloilo Representative Janette Garin stressed that the transfer of the Office of the President’s P221.42-million fund to the Office of the Vice President — which included the P125-million confidential fund allegedly spent by in just 19 days, was sourced from Marcos’ contingent fund. “The problem was that there was confusion about contingent funds versus confidential funds. And in my opinion, that was the first mistake because the people were confused because they thought that the used contingent fund of the Office of the Vice President was confidential,” Garin said in a radio interview on Sunday. “What happened here is that the confidential fund was tainted because it was not immediately answered or clarified. Just to be factual, what the Office of the Vice President used was a contingent fund that was included in the special purpose fund,” she added. The lawmaker explained that the special purpose fund is a fund of the President that he can use for current or new programs when a Cabinet official or an office requests it. The issue of the fund transfer first came when the Commission on Audit report revealed that the OVP spent P125 million in confidential funds for 2022. Then-Vice President Leni Robredo, who then prepared the 2022 budget of the OVP, said there was no line item for confidential funds in the budget they crafted. Confidential funds are used for discreet costs associated with surveillance operations carried out by civilian government agencies in support of their mandate or operations. Lawmakers Elizaldy Co and Stella Quimbo, the panel’s chair and the senior vice chair, earlier shed light on the issue, saying the transfer of the funds was allowed in the 2022 General Appropriations Act, despite opposition solons claims that it breached the law since there was no line item in the OVP’s 2022 budget on confidential funds. The Department of Budget and Management likewise defended the legality of such transfer in a letter sent to Co last week, which the latter has yet to provide a copy to the House reporters. Co said that the P125 million released to OVP came from the P7-billion budget set aside as contingent funds for 2022 and “was intended to support the OVP’s Good Governance Engagements and Social Services Projects,” citing DBM chief Amenah Pangandaman. Pangandaman, however, cleared that they did not bypass the House’s power over the purse when it released contingency funds to the OVP. The post Solon: OVP ‘fund shift’ constitutional appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Economic team supports rice price cap as sound ‘stop-gap’ measure
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman reiterated on Monday their support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to impose a rice price cap. In a statement, Diokno underscored the importance of immediately implementing a comprehensive set of measures aimed at securing long-term stability within the rice market. "Executive Order No. 39 was issued by the President as the chief executive and the concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture. EO 39 serves as a lifeline, extending much-needed relief to Filipinos grappling with the high rice prices,” he said. Under EO No. 39, the mandated price of regular milled rice is P41 per kilogram while well-milled rice is at P45 per kilogram. The Finance Secretary said the economic team views EO 39 as an essential stop-gap measure that needs to be supplemented with additional measures to achieve long-term rice price stability in the country. “We agree with the President that implementing a price cap on rice is the most prudent course of action at the moment to achieve two critical objectives: stabilizing rice prices and extending immediate support to our fellow countrymen," he added. The Finance chief said the President has directed the economic team to implement measures that will mitigate the negative impact of the price controls on rice retailers and farmers. In a separate statement, Pangandaman said the EO will “effectively serve” as an “active stop gap” to address the market’s current circumstances. Pangandaman added that current measures warrant a special mitigating measure. “In an ideal scenario, we can let the market dictate prices. However, as NEDA noted, we are now faced with extraordinary factors that we have to consider," Pangandaman explained. “I join the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Economic Development Group of the Cabinet in supporting this measure because it is necessary at this time to help those most affected by the otherwise uncontrollable sharp increase in the price of rice,” Pangandaman added. Diokno said in a briefing last Friday that Marcos did not consult the economic team before imposing the order. The economic managers were in the 14th Philippines-Japan High-Level Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation in Tokyo during the last week of August when Marcos made the announcement, he said. "We were in Japan when that was announced. I was sitting with (NEDA Secretary) Arsi (Balisacan) and we were talking to Japanese investors. Of course, we were shocked." Diokno, the head of the Marcos administration's economic team, said the price cap shouldn't be imposed for too long because it is not sustainable. Price controls "don't really work" under ideal market conditions, and "it has adverse effects if allowed to linger for a longer period," he added. The post Economic team supports rice price cap as sound ‘stop-gap’ measure appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan’s leader says 2024 defense budget to hit record $19-B
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Monday defense spending would reach a record 606.8 billion Taiwan dollars ($19 billion) in 2024, a demonstration of the island's "determination to ensure national security". Tsai said in a statement defense spending was "expected to reach 2.5 percent of the GDP". The proposed spending would be a 3.5 percent increase from 2023's $586.3 billion Taiwan dollars, according to official data. "Taiwan must continue to bolster its capabilities to defend itself and demonstrate its self-defense determination to ensure national security and interests while seeking more international support," she said. Democratic Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by China, which views the island as its own territory to be taken one day. Tsai was briefed by Premier Chen Chien-jen about the 2024 government budget, which will be released by the cabinet on Thursday and then submitted to parliament for approval. Beijing has intensified its saber-rattling and ramped up political and economic pressure on Taiwan since Tsai, who views the island as independent, came to power in 2016. The Chinese military launched massive military exercises last year after Nancy Pelosi, then-speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited Taiwan, and again in April when Tsai transited through the United States. China staged fresh drills around the island on Saturday, a day after Tsai's deputy William Lai, also a frontrunner in the upcoming presidential election, returned from a visit to Paraguay with two stopovers in the United States. Taiwan's defense ministry said 45 warplanes had entered its air defense zone during the exercises, which also included nine Chinese vessels. The post Taiwan’s leader says 2024 defense budget to hit record $19-B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Managers: Phl remains on track
Despite the lackluster 4.3 percent in the second quarter, growth this year is expected to reach the target range of 6 percent to 7 percent gross domestic product expansion, according to Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. “To do this, we will expedite the implementation of government programs and projects, to provide fiscal stimulus to increase the productive capacity of the public and private sectors and address the adverse recent impacts of typhoons.” Diokno added. Economic managers gathered in Fort Ilocandia in Laoag City to hold the Post-State of the Nation Economic Briefing that discussed the country’s economic situation and plans on 14 August. Diokno said in 2022, GDP increased 7.6 percent from 5.7 a year ago and a 9.5 percent contraction in 2020. Diokno said the economic team is determined to pick up government expenditure in the third and fourth quarters. Revenue collections remain robust from January to June as these totaled P1.9 trillion up 7.7 percent or P132.6 billion year-on-year which is also higher than the mid-year program by 2.7 percent. Hence, Diokno said they have already pipelined 194 infrastructure flagship projects worth P8.3 trillion of which 132 are located in Luzon that will address irrigation, water supply, flood management, agriculture, digital connectivity, physical connectivity, health, and power and energy. Diokno also highlighted some of the projects like the Laoag International Airport Development Project, the EDSA Greenways, the TPLEX Expressway Expansion Project, the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, the Ilocos Norte-Sur-Abra Irrigation Project, and the Naga Airport Development Project. “The Philippines is determined to be a world leader in the race to net zero and the Ilocos Region will be a strategic partner in this mission. Dubbed to be the renewable energy capital of South East Asia, Ilocos Norte is emerging to be a promising player in the clean energy arena. Being home to the first and largest wind farms in the country,” Diokno stressed. In his address, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr., said from a peak of 8.7 percent in January, headline inflation slowed to 4.7 percent in July due to improving domestic food supply conditions and lower global oil prices. However, he also admitted that core inflation remains high at 6.7 percent although it has already started to decline due to the monetary tightening. The BSP has responded to inflation by aggressively raising its policy rate, as of today, the BSP has raised policy rates by 425 basis points. Prices reined in “The good news is that inflation expectations are still well anchored. The markets continue to believe that we will hit our target range by 2024 and stay there in 2025,” Remolona said. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman also gave an update on the use pf the budget for 2023. Pangandaman said at the end of July, the total amount of the national budget that has been released already is around 93 percent. “And we expect all our government agencies including all the cabinet members present here, to spend your budget so we can help grow the economy,” Pangandaman said. While for next year, the government budget will amount to 5.768 trillion and it is 21.7 percent of the GDP it has already been submitted to Congress last August 2 and the budget is expected to be passed earlier than expected. The National Economic Development Authority said it wanted to lower the poverty level to single digit. For Socioeconomic Planning Undersecretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, the government has effective regional development plans. In the Ilocos Regional Development Plan from 2023-2028, the NEDA expects the Ilocos region to have a 7 percent to 7.5 percent growth while lowering the poverty incidence by 7.3 percent. ‘Build, Better, More’ under BBM;s watch Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the “Build, Better, More” program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is very much aligned with the medium-term development plan for 2023 to 2028 and is consistent with the 8-point economic agenda of the president. Bonoan said that from July 2022 to May 2023, the DPWH has built, maintained, rehabilitated, widened, and upgraded 4,082 kilometer of roads, 497 bridges, built 2,103 flood control projects, 55 evacuation centers, 216 kms farm to market roads, 8 kilometers of farm to mill roads, 138 kilometers tourism roads, 18 kilometers of roads to seaports, railway stations, and airports, 4,038 classrooms, and 6,002 rainwater collector system. “Because of climate change, we have to address and be building and developing resilient and sustainable communities in the 18 major river basins in the country,” Bonoan said. Some of the major projects that the department would like to continue are converting the Daang Maharlika which is actually now Asian Highway 26 which starts in Laoag City and will go around Cagayan Valley and has extended all the way to Zamboanga City. Bonoan says that they want to convert this backbone of the national highway into seamless travel. “In other words, there should be no major stops along the way, along this Maharlika highway,” Bonoan said. Bonoan said they’re going to build 12 major bridges, and the first bridge is the Cavite-Bataan Interlink bridge with a span of more than 32 km. Should it be completed, this will be the second-longest bay bridge in the world. The department also plans to start the Luzon Spine Expressway which will run from Laoag City to Bicol, Bonoan says that this will be 1,073 kms more. As for Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, major Department of Transportation projects like the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, Metro Manila Subway, EDSA Greenway Projects, EDSA Busway, MRT-3 Rehabilitation, LRT-1 Cavite, LRT-2 West Extension, MRT-7, and the modernization and capacity expansion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport are proceeding. For the Department of Information and Communications Technology Ivan John Uy, there is already a cybersecurity plan for 2023 to 2028 which is a consolidated output of all the stakeholders in designing which includes the best practices all over the world. “We’ve ramped up in our cybercrime detection, we are busting cybercrime syndicates all over the country especially those that are dealing with scammers,” Uy said. Uy said agency is also enhancing cybersecurity status by designing courses to upgrade cybersecurity professionals. He admits that worldwide, there is a 3 million job vacancies on cyber security. DICT said by the end of the year, the department will have Two Terabits of capacity from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan all the way to Manila and we should expect very good Internet connectivity by the start of next year especially on the Luzon area. These structures also open opportunities to data centers and BPOs along the places mentioned which produces employment. DICT expects that foreign investment opportunities and interest in those areas will boom. The post Managers: Phl remains on track appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
National budget’s importance, intricacies
On 22 June, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his Cabinet approved the proposed P5.768-trillion national budget for Fiscal Year 2024, an outlay that seeks to support the administration’s efforts to promote economic transformation and recovery from the pandemic. According to the Development Budget Coordination Committee or DBCC, the FY 2024 budget is 9.5 percent higher compared to this year’s outlay which was P5.268 trillion. In a recent Department of Budget and Management or DBM press release, Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the proposed 2024 National Budget shall continue to prioritize expenditures that will sustain economic growth, bearing in mind inclusivity and sustainability consistent with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and the administration’s 8-point socioeconomic agenda. Pangandaman stated: “Guided by our Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, the proposed national budget will continue to prioritize expenditures outlined in the administration’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and cater to the objectives of PDP 2023-2028. It shall continue to reflect our commitment to pursue economic and social transformation to address the scarring effects of the pandemic, as well as the impact of inflation, by prioritizing shovel-ready investments in infrastructure projects, in human capital development, and in sustainable agriculture and food security, among others.” DBM added that it is crafted as an indispensable step towards the overarching goal to attain upper-middle-income status while bringing down the deficit to 3 percent of GDP and reducing the poverty rate to 9 percent or single digits by 2028. From an ordinary citizen’s point of view, whether it is P5.268 trillion or P5.768 trillion, either of the two is an enormous and substantial amount. However, we must be aware that the problems that must be addressed and the projects that must be implemented are enormous that these amounts may just be enough to address the issues and concerns of the citizenry. Different government offices have their respective mandates to fulfill and the reality is that resources are limited. The job of the Secretary of Budget and Management is not as simple as approving releases and signing checks. It is more complex than that due to the different needs of different departments. This point is supported by Pangandaman’s statement that, “Due to the limited fiscal space, we optimized the allocation of resources by ensuring that the PDPs that will be budgeted are implementation-ready and must be delivered and executed on time. This entails that the agency proposals considered are clear, comprehensive, and complete in terms of submitted supporting documents such as feasibility studies and annual procurement plans. We also referred to the agencies’ respective absorptive capacity, as we considered that a low budget utilization rate may reflect the agency’s limited capacity to utilize additional funds.” Due to this manner of prioritization, the gain of one agency may lead to the loss of another agency as the latter’s project may be deemed important but not the priority for the current year. This loss does not mean it is the end for said project as there is always next year when it may be given a chance for allocation. It is worth noting that the proposed FY 2024 National Budget will be submitted to Congress a few weeks after the second State of the Nation Address or SoNA of President Bongbong Marcos, which is scheduled on 24 July. Under the Constitution, the National Expenditure Program or NEP must be submitted to Congress within 30 days after the SoNA. The NEP is the national government’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. Once approved by Congress, it will be known as the General Appropriations Bill, and once passed into law, the bill will be known as the General Appropriations Act. Before one questions the budget allocation and project prioritization, it is best to take a step back and understand that it is always the best interest of the entire country that is the consideration in budget making. The post National budget’s importance, intricacies appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Diokno warns gov’t underspending back
Agencies are sliding back into underspending which will impact on the overall government performance. “We’re collecting more revenues than forecasted, while they’re underspending. We are below our deficit target,” Diokno said. “For the fiscal conservative, that’s nice, [but] not necessarily good for a developing country,” he added. The budget remained in a deficit but narrowed in May as the growth in revenues outpaced public spending, the latest monthy readout from the Bureau of Treasury or BTr showed on Tuesday. Data from BTr showed that the Marcos administration’s budget deficit stood at P122.2 billion in May, a 16.7 percent decline from P146.8 billion in the same month last year. Infra expenditures dipped Expenditures not related to interest payments, such as infrastructure spending, also dipped 0.85 percent in May from P417.9 billion last year to P414.3 billion. The cumulative budget gap for the first five months of the year amounting to P326.3 billion similarly declined by 28.86 percent or P132.4 billion year-on-year. The decline in the deficit followed Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s concerns over the sluggish government spending. Diokno stated that there is still ample time to improve spending performance, as there are six months remaining in the year. “I brought this up in the Cabinet. We need to spend. It’s not a lack of money, it’s the ability to perform,” he said. In May, the total revenue generated was P333.4 billion, indicating a 9.3 percent increase compared to the previous year’s P304.9 billion. Of this amount, P291.7 billion came from tax collections, while P41.7 billion was generated through non-tax revenues. By the end of May, the overall revenue for the year reached P1.592 trillion, marking an 11 percent growth compared to P1.437 trillion during the same period in the previous year. Diokno credited the double-digit revenue growth to enhanced tax administration, even in the absence of new tax measures. Excluding interest payments, the government recorded a primary deficit of P96.7 billion from January to May, which is more than a 50 percent decrease when compared to P238.2 billion during the same period last year. The post Diokno warns gov’t underspending back appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Budget deficit below target, agencies underspending
The Philippine national government’s budget deficit narrowed in May as the growth in revenues outpaced public spending, the latest monthly readout from the Bureau of Treasury showed on Tuesday. Data from BTr showed that the Marcos administration's budget deficit stood at P122.2 billion in May, a 16.7 percent decline from P146.8 billion in the same month last year. Expenditures not related to interest payments, such as infrastructure spending, also dipped 0.85 percent in May from P417.9 billion last year to P414.3 billion. The cumulative budget gap for the first five months of the year amounting to P326.3 billion similarly declined by 28.86 percent or P132.4 billion on a year-on-year (YoY) basis. This decline in the deficit followed Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno's concerns over sluggish government spending. “The agencies are slow and that will impact the performance. We’re collecting more revenues than forecasted, while they’re underspending. We are below our deficit target,” Diokno said. “For the fiscal conservative, that’s nice, [but] not necessarily good for a developing country,” he added. Diokno stated that there is still ample time to improve spending performance, as there are six months remaining in the year. “I brought this up in the Cabinet. We need to spend. It’s not a lack of money, it’s the ability to perform,” he said. The post Budget deficit below target, agencies underspending appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mayon simmers; funds assured
State volcanologists reported that Mayon Volcano produced fewer rockfalls and volcanic earthquakes on Thursday. Two volcanic tremors and 306 rockfall occurrences were recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology between 5 a.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday. The volcano recorded 309 rockfall events in the previous update, along with seven volcanic temblors. Mayon, however, showed a modest rise in sulfur dioxide flux, going from 149 tons per day to 193 tons per day. Since 8 June, the volcano has been on Alert Level 3 due to “potential explosive activity happening within days or weeks,” according to Phivolcs. Volcanologists said the volcano’s unrest may continue for a few months based on observations and past eruptions. Meanwhile, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. yesterday vowed quick response to Mayon’s unrest and the needs of the thousands of evacuees. Marcos pledged funds and other assistance to the affected province of Albay on the sidelines of a Department of Trade and Industry forum. “Whatever is needed, we will have to provide. Many people are already helping, all agencies are already engaged in their rehabilitation efforts, in the support for the evacuees,” he said. The government, he said, “must be sensitive” to the needs of the province during the emergency as each municipality faces different difficulties in carrying out quick response operations. He spoke about the elderly who need to take their medication, workers who had to leave their employment, and the children and parents whose mental and physical health are affected at the evacuation centers. “I think in terms of actual funding, I think, as far as I know, we have a budget for that but my instruction to them is to assess thoroughly, and not just keep giving money,” Marcos said. “You have to check what their problems are so we can fix them, and if it takes cash then that’s well and good, but sometimes it’s not cash,” he added. He instructed Cabinet officials to “take the load off” Albay in terms of quick response funding as Mayon’s restiveness may last from 45 to 90 days. “If it takes cash, then that’s good. Well and good. But sometimes, it’s not cash. We have been discussing what to do about the hampered education of the children; they cannot go to school. These are other issues are basically not quantifiable but they are important,” Marcos said. “The issues of the mental health of those children, even the parents. We need to think about them because what they are going through is really difficult. So we have to give all the support that we can,” he added. Latest data from the National Risk Reduction and Management Council showed that 9,167 families or 37,682 individuals were forced to evacuate due to Mayon’s restiveness. Of the number, 17,914 were counted as displaced persons staying in the 25 activated evacuation centers or temporary shelters. The remainder are staying with relatives or friends. The Philippine Army has conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations for 15,000 evacuees from Albay’s 23 barangays since 10 June. The government has so far provided more than P37.3 million to assist affected residents. The Office of Civil Defense said it has extended additional assistance to the Albay government, including the provision of 3,200 sacks of rice and other relief items such as tarpaulin rolls, N95 masks, family food packs, hygiene kits, pelican cases, portable water filtration units, and a water filtration truck to Albay to assist residents of affected areas. The post Mayon simmers; funds assured appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Over 33,000 people may be affected if Mayon’s unrest worsens — Lagman
At least 33,000 people may flee their homes if Mayon Volcano's unrest could last for "three months or more," Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman said on Wednesday night. Lagman said this as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led a situational briefing on the status of Mayon Volcano and the government's response in Legazpi City, Albay, on 14 June. Lagman said that about 33,326 individuals—or 8,637 families—may be affected if Mayon Volcano's eruption worsens. Lagman also asked the national government for P166.7 million to continue providing help to the thousands of people who have been displaced amid Mayon's unrest. He explained that the money is needed to provide evacuees with food, water, shelter, and other essential services. Lagman added that the money is needed to help the local government of Albay rebuild the infrastructure that the unrest has damaged. However, President Marcos Jr. told his Cabinet to study the proposed budget for Albay, as the province's quick response fund of P30 million can only sustain evacuees for about 14 days. "They can only sustain the continuous support for evacuees for 14 days," Marcos said. "The final figure of P196 million is something that we can dig. I think the numbers the governor has given us are a good guide already. But we have to go into further details," he added. Marcos said the figure needed to be checked to see if it would be sufficient. "Let's go into that in terms of the requirements the evacuees are going to need… Round numbers are never quite right. We have to get it right," Marcos said. Affected individuals OCD Administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, said that a total of 9,571 families or 37,231 individuals had been significantly impacted in 26 barangays across Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Legazpi City, Ligao, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, and Tabaco as of 14 June. Of this total, 4,417 families, or 15,502 individuals, sought refuge in 22 evacuation centers. The OCD also assisted 185 families, or 659 individuals, outside these centers. The evacuees are from 26 out of the 30 barangays located within the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone. The agricultural sector in Albay has also experienced the consequences of Mayon's unrest. A total of 217 livestock, including carabaos, cattle, and goats, were preemptively relocated to Daraga and Malilipot. According to Nepomuceno, the affected residents in various areas of Albay have already received a total of P35 million in assistance from the national government, local government units, and private institutions. In addition, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has pledged to deploy personnel, resources, and equipment to support the ongoing evacuation efforts in Albay. The response assets provided by OCD Region 5 and other government agencies consist of 1,154 responders, 103 rescue teams, and 141 vehicles for mobility purposes. OCD taking steps for long-term response Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is taking steps to prepare for a long-term response to the ongoing unrest at Mayon Volcano. Civil Defense Operations Service Director Cesar Idio, who was present during the situational briefing, said the OCD had identified four strategies to address the ongoing unrest at Mayon. The first approach involves preparing for an extended three months or longer response period. The second strategy is to plan for the logistical requirements of such a lengthy response. The third approach is for local government units (LGUs) to facilitate the permanent relocation of residents residing within the six-kilometer radius of the permanent danger zone (PDZ). Lastly, the fourth measure entails requesting additional evacuation centers to prevent the disruption of classes, as some classrooms are currently being used as temporary shelters for evacuees. Meanwhile, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. mentioned that he had already coordinated with Albay Governor Edcel Lagman, OCD Region 5 Director Claudio Yucot, and Renato Solidum Jr., the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), to ensure more efficient and expedited coordination of logistics. He told Marcos that the coordination aims to avoid redundancy or wastage of resources in anticipation of the expected lengthy response. "We will work on this coordination in order to be the funneling point between and among the LGUs and the national government," Teodoro said. The post Over 33,000 people may be affected if Mayon’s unrest worsens — Lagman appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IAC-IMO creation ordered to tackle inflation, economic concerns
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued an Executive Order to establish the Inter-Agency Committee on Inflation and Market Outlook to tackle inflation and improve economic initiatives, Malacañang said over the weekend. President Marcos signed EO 28 Friday, specifying that the Inter-Agency Committee on Inflation and Market Outlook will act as advisory body to the Economic Development Group (EDG; comprised of the economic cluster in the Cabinet) on measures aimed at maintaining inflation, particularly in food and energy, and within the government’s target range. Furthermore, the EO restructured and renamed the Economic Development Cluster as the Economic Development Group, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the streamlined coordination of programs, activities, and priorities to achieve sustained economic growth efficiently and effectively. “(Given) the increasing prices of key commodities, particularly food and energy resources, the creation of an advisory body to the EDC, tasked to directly address inflation, will strengthen the EDC and reinforce existing government initiatives aimed to improve the economy and the quality of life of the Filipino people,” part of the EO reads. Members The IAC-IMO will comprise of the following members: the Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority as chairman; the Secretary of Finance as co-chairman; the Budget Secretary as vice chairman; and additional members including the Secretaries of Agriculture, Energy, Science and Technology, Trade and Industry and Interior. According to the EO, the EDG is responsible for harmonizing, coordinating, complementing, and synergizing efforts to facilitate rapid, inclusive, and sustained growth in the country. The EO mandates the EDG to create an environment that fosters the growth and competitiveness of private enterprises and the generation of employment opportunities to uplift people and alleviate poverty. Enhancing agricultural enterprises Additionally, the EDG is tasked with enhancing agricultural and rural enterprises and implementing trade policies that are crucial for achieving food security and promoting equitable economic growth. Furthermore, the EDG addresses inflation concerns, ensuring food and energy security while considering the interests of producers, consumers, and the overall economy. The EO also emphasizes the importance of conducting research and development activities relevant to the needs of micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises, as well as national industries. Moreover, the EDG is responsible for enhancing national productivity and the competitiveness of domestic products and services. It is also entrusted with ensuring the equitable distribution of economic opportunities and benefits among the Filipino population. To prevent duplication of efforts and unnecessary bureaucracy, the EO instructs the EDG to defer to the NEDA Board and its inter-agency committees, as stipulated in EO 230 issued in 1987, regarding matters under their primary purview. The post IAC-IMO creation ordered to tackle inflation, economic concerns appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2023 budget isusumite ng Malakanyang sa Kongreso sa sunod na linggo
MANILA, Philippines – TARGET ng Malakanyang na isumite sa Kongreso, susunod na linggo ang P5.628-trillion national budget para sa taong 2023. Ito ay matapos na magdaos si Pangulong President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ng special meeting kasama ang kanyang Cabinet members sa Aguinaldo State Dining Room, Malacañan Palace. Tinalakay sa special meeting ang panukalang 2023 budget […] The post 2023 budget isusumite ng Malakanyang sa Kongreso sa sunod na linggo appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»
Incoming DBM chief extends condolences to Andaya family
MANILA - Incoming Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Friday extended her condolences to the family of the late Budget Chief and Camarines Sur Representative Rolando Andaya Jr.In a statement, she said Andaya, 53, was "dedicated to serving the Filipino people" and "is known.....»»
Government upgrades exports targets
The Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee has upgraded its exports outlook for this year and next, pinning its hopes on a rebound in global trade as economies are lifting border restrictions......»»
P3.52 billion added to budget for National ID system
President Rodrigo Duterte and his Cabinet approved an additional P3.52 billion for the implementation of the National ID system for next year, Malacanang said Wednesday......»»
Gobyerno, naglaan ng P152.35-B pondo para sa climate change adaptation at disaster risk reduction
Maglalaan ang pamahalaan ng P152.35 bilyong budget para sa implementasyon ng convergence program sa climate change adaptation at disaster risk reduction sa susunod na taon. Ito ay ayon sa Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCAM-DRR) na pinamumunuan ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Sabi pa ng cabinet […] The post Gobyerno, naglaan ng P152.35-B pondo para sa climate change adaptation at disaster risk reduction appeared first on Bandera......»»
Andaya’s wife dies of cancer
The lawmaker-wife of former Camarines Sur congressman and budget secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. died over the weekend from cancer......»»
Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»
NBI nabs 8 bogus DBM officials
Eight people allegedly posing as officials of the Department of Budget and Management were apprehended by the National Bureau of Investigation in Mandaluyong on Tuesday......»»
P1.1 billion released to restore heritage school buildings
The Department of Budget and Management has released P1.1 billion to conserve and restore heritage school buildings in the country......»»