PNP vaccine allocation increased
At least 1,020 medical frontliners of the Philippine National Police have been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of yesterday as the government increased its allocation to the PNP of the vaccines developed by Sinovac Biotech of China......»»
Fund for indigent cancer patients reaches P1.25 billion
Senators and congressmen have approved a substantial increase in this year’s budget allocation for indigent cancer patients, or the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF), in the hope of helping more Filipinos to be healed from the killer disease......»»
Traders, importers to buy local raw sugar at premium
Sugar traders are keen on purchasing 300,000 metric tons of local raw sugar at a premium price in exchange for getting a priority allocation in future import programs of the government......»»
Filinvest to double capacity of solar project in Misamis
A power unit of Filinvest Development Corp. will expand the capacity of its solar project in Misamis Oriental following a wider land allocation from its lessor......»»
DSWD-Davao raises child feeding budget to P21
The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) has increased its budget for the Supplementary Feeding Program to P21 per child, up from the previous P15 allocation. Kyla Denise T. Pamat, a nutritionist dietician at DSWD-Davao, shared in a radio interview on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on January 26, 2024, that the enhancement is a result of a budget insertion in 2023. The 13th cycle targets 122,400 children in Davao Region, with five local government units (LGUs) already initiating the feeding program, while others are in the procurement process. The program focuses on children aged two to four in child development centers and supervised neighborhood places, providing hot meals (rice and viand) for 80 days and alternative meals (pancake, nutribun, and fruit salad) for 40 days during the 120 feeding days. Additionally, selected LGUs with a prevalent number of underweight children receive milk feeding for the entire duration. The 12th cycle showed an 82.27 percent improvement in the weight of underweight children, reducing their number from 4,567 to 784 after the 120 feeding days. Pamat highlighted its alignment with Republic Act 11037, also known as the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act, and encouraged LGUs, communities, and parents to support the program for continuous improvement......»»
P450 billion unprogrammed funds challenged before SC
Minority lawmakers are asking the Supreme Court to nullify the P449.5 billion in unprogrammed allocation in the national budget, saying the amount was way above the P289.1 billion originally proposed, making it unconstitutional......»»
Makati excludes EMBO barangays from national tax allocation
'It is now incumbent upon Taguig to take up the mantle of governance and welfare for these communities,' says Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza.....»»
‘Embo’ barangays excluded from Makati’s tax allocation
The 10 enlisted men’s barrio or “embo” barangays that are the subjects of a land row between Makati and Taguig have been excluded from Makati’s 2024 national tax allotment allocation for 2024, an official said yesterday......»»
LGU budget hiked to P871 billion this year
The budget allocation for local government units (LGUs) this year will increase by six percent to P871 billion as state revenues have slowly recovered from the COVID pandemic......»»
SRA offers raw sugar exports to US
The Sugar Regulatory Administration has offered to export raw sugar to the United States, which will partly fulfill the country’s trade allocation to the western country......»»
President Marcos vetoes sections of GAA
President Marcos has vetoed sections of the P5.768-trillion 2024 General Appropriations Act including an allocation of a revolving fund for the Department of Justice......»»
Third petition filed vs Sara Duterte’s secret funds reaches SC
Current and former lawmakers from the Makabayan Bloc on Monday filed a petition for certiorari, challenging Vice President Sara Duterte's allocation of P125 million for confidential and intelligence funds......»»
Progressive groups: Youths are facing ‘educational crisis’
Progressive groups have raised concerns over what they are calling an educational crisis facing the youth. They argue that this crisis is threatening the right to free and quality education. During the 160th commemoration of Andres Bonifacio's birth, Anakbayan Southern Mindanao spokesperson Beverly Gofredo highlighted the low allocation for state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the proposed budget for 2024. Gofredo stated that this has resulted in budget cuts for 36 out of 117 SUCs, including the University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UP-Min) and the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) in the Davao Region. In response to these concerns, various groups staged a protest in Davao City, calling for the government to address the issue. The groups also expressed their opposition to the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and the attacks on academic freedom. Additionally, they called for the government to halt the implementation of the Jeepney Modernization Program and to declare an unconditional ceasefire in Palestine. The rally in Davao City was reported to have been peaceful, with no untoward incidents......»»
SC asked: Declare secret funds unconstitutional
Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio led other legal professionals yesterday in filing a petition asking the SC to declare the allocation, release and disbursement of confidential funds as unconstitutional......»»
Senate adopts reduction of confidential, intel funds allocation for 2024
Senate adopts reduction of confidential, intel funds allocation for 2024.....»»
Duterte gives up bid for confidential, intel funds allocation
Duterte gives up bid for confidential, intel funds allocation.....»»
‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’ launched
BAGUIO CITY — At least 150 schools in different areas of the Cordillera region were boosted by the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera’s “Gulayan sa Paaralan” project under the High-Value Crops Development Program. The project — which is a collaboration with the Department of Education-Cordillera — aims to provide the optimal supply of nutrition through the consumption of vegetables and fruits minimizing malnutrition of students. It also allows for a learning experience for students, increasing their knowledge and skills in fundamental agriculture and implying a more scientific view of the consumption of securely produced food. HVCDP coordinator for GPP Albert Jay Lab-oyan said the schools underwent the screening process of the DepEd based on their guidelines which were forwarded to the regional agriculture department for the allocation of P1.8 million worth of agriculture inputs for 2023. The provisions include upland and lowland seeds, cultivating tools, garden hoses and wheelbarrows. Of the 8 School Division Offices in the region, 20 schools were identified in Abra, 20 schools in Apayao, 16 schools in Benguet, 15 schools in Baguio City, 20 schools in Ifugao, 20 schools in Kalinga, 19 schools in Tabuk City and 20 schools in Mountain Province. The post ‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’ launched appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Healthcare facilities getting P50B in 2024
The Department of Budget and Management, or DBM, said the planned national budget for next year would include funds worth almost P50 billion to improve regional hospitals and other healthcare facilities. In a statement on Monday, DBM said the Department of Health, or DoH, would get about P49.75 billion to pay for hospital units under the 2024 National Expenditure Program to improve the services of basic healthcare facilities. The amount planned to be given to DoH’s hospitals and health facilities was P1.31 billion more than the P48.44 billion allocated in the 2023 General Appropriations Act, or GAA. The DBM attributed the increase to adjustments made in the normative financing of DoH hospitals, including funds needed for expanding specialty centers. Budget divided to 68 hospitals Such suggested budget amount would be divided among 68 hospitals in different regions, such as the National Capital Region, Regions I through X, and Regions XI through XIII, the DBM said. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the allocation is a tangible representation of the government’s commitment to augmenting the capabilities of our primary healthcare facilities, securing the well-being of Filipino families and warding off potential future health crises. “The allocation is part of government’s efforts to strengthen primary healthcare facilities in the country, ensure the health of Filipino families, and to avoid another health crisis,” Pangandaman said. The post Healthcare facilities getting P50B in 2024 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BARMM proposes P98-B budget
COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has formally submitted the proposed budget for the region’s 2024 fiscal year, totaling P98.46 billion with education, infrastructure and health as the top three priorities. BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim Al Haj on Wednesday said that he personally handed over the proposed Bangsamoro Expenditure Program for 2024 to Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Atty. Pangalian Balindong during a symbolic ceremony held on Tuesday. Ebrahim said education emerged as the top priority, securing the largest share of the proposed budget with an allocation of P30.2 billion, stressing that the amount reflects the region’s commitment to enhancing the educational landscape in BARMM, aiming to provide better opportunities for its residents. The allocation will be used by the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education to fund various education programs, scholarships and the development of schools and learning centers, ensuring that quality education is accessible to all, Ebrahim explained. Following closely is infrastructure, receiving a substantial budget of P17.6 billion from the Ministry of Public Works, which signals BARMM’s dedication to developing its physical infrastructure to strengthen economic growth, connectivity and a better quality of life for the Bangsamoro people. MPW Minister Arch. Eduard Guerra said that they intend to expedite the construction and maintenance of essential infrastructure facilities, such as flood management, bridges and water systems. The post BARMM proposes P98-B budget appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: Modern weapons ‘crucial’
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., on Tuesday said the military organization needs to acquire modern defense equipment and weapons so it can better protect and defend the country against external threats. Aside from modern weapons, Brawner cited the need to equip soldiers with the resources and skills to prepare them for any challenges in fighting and neutralizing threats. Brawner said the AFP also envisions the creation of “citizen warriors” or recruiting more reservists that can be readily tapped during emergencies. Asked if the AFP is ready to meet any external aggression, Brawner said: “When it comes to Filipinos’ fighting spirit, we are number one because, for the longest time, we have been fighting for years, so we are one of the most capable fighters in the world so we just need modern equipment, modern weapons and that’s what we are doing in our modernization effort.” Brawner said an allocation of huge funds is needed to acquire more modern defense equipment and weapons. He said the AFP is targeting to acquire “multi-role fighter aircraft, naval assets, command and control or C-2 systems, shore-based deterrent capabilities, submarines and the like” under the third Horizon of the AFP modernization program. Five-year program The Horizon 3 is slated for 2023 up to 2028. Horizon 2 was undertaken from 2018 to 2022, and Horizon 1 was pushed from 2013 to 2017. Brawner said such procurement tranches are designed to acquire equipment, weapons systems, and platforms to enhance the military organization’s external or territorial defense capability. The post Brawner: Modern weapons ‘crucial’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Govt to shorten trigger period for fuel subsidies
The government will shorten the trigger period for releasing fuel subsidies to the transport sector from three months to one month, and simplify the requirements for its release, the Department of Energy said on Tuesday. In a Malacañang Press Briefing, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said this was one of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s decisions during the latest sectoral meeting. Under the current law, fuel subsidies are released to the transport sector whenever the Dubai crude oil price exceeds $80 per barrel for three consecutive months. Lotilla said the shortening of the trigger period will allow the government to release the subsidies faster to the transport sector, which is one of the sectors most affected by the rising fuel prices. "With this simplification or shortening of the period, we will be able to release the subsidies in a shorter period of time," Lotilla said. "Since Congress is right now considering the General Appropriations Act, it will be included in that process. The amendment will take effect in 2024 immediately upon Congress's approval of the GAA," he added. The DOE chief also said the government will simplify the requirements for the release of the fuel subsidies. The release of the subsidies requires the approval of the DOE, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Budget and Management. Lotilla said that under the new proposal, the release of the subsidies will only require the approval of the DBM, the DOTr, and the DOE. He said the DOTr will finalize the list of beneficiaries of the fuel subsidies for those with franchises, the Department of Interior and Local Government for tricycle drivers, and the Department of Trade and Industry for delivery service drivers. Even though there's an effort to expedite assistance distribution, Lotilla mentioned that the fuel subsidy allocation in the 2024 national budget was decreased from P3 billion this year to P2.5 billion. However, he believes that the reduced budget will still be adequate to meet the required funding. "That’s based on the experience on the previous year. We don't know what will be the final amount,” the official said. Other measures Lotilla also said that the government will implement a voluntary 20 percent ethanol blend for gasoline, which is targeted for approval by the end of 2023. He said the ethanol blend will help mitigate the rising fuel prices, as ethanol is cheaper than gasoline. Lotilla said the President also instructed to continue the transport sector's electrification, particularly mass transport and light cargo vehicles. He said the government will put in place charging stations and ensure that the benefits to the transport sector, particularly the drivers, will be there. Lotilla said the President also emphasized the need to prepare the economy for the eventual manufacture of electric vehicles in the country, and linking this up with the local mining sector that will produce the minerals needed to produce batteries and other components of electric vehicles......»»