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MANILA, Philippines – The Senate and House have agreed to set aside at least P72 billion specifically for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine under the proposed 2021 budget, Sen. Sonny Angara said Wednesday.
After the bicameral conference committee adopted and approved the final version of the proposed national budget for 2021, Angara said that there are also P10 billion funds available for the procurement of vaccines under the Bayanihan To Recover As One or Bayanihan 2 Act.
“If that amount is used fully, fully used by 2021, a large part of our population can be vaccinated,” Angara said.
While most of the funds, or about P70 billion, are allocated to unscheduled allocations, Angara said that “the probability of being funded is great.”
“The target for the unscheduled is lower this year… Some people think that if they are unscheduled, they won’t get funding. That is not true. The probability of receiving financing is great, ”Angara said.
(The target for unscheduled is lower this year … Many think that since it is unscheduled, it cannot be financed. That is not true. The probability of being financed is great).
“The Finance Department assures us na mapopondohan talaga ‘yun … If we are talking about cash availability, that is not for the legislature, it is for the executive to respond,” added the senator.
Help from Angara The Senate is considering extending Bayanihan 2 until March or June next year.
“If Bayanihan 2 is not expanded, it is also a shame. The money will also be reversed, ”Angara said.
(If we don’t expand Bayanihan 2, it’s unfortunate. The funds will be reversed).
Meanwhile, the education and infrastructure sectors get most of the bicam’s version of the 2021 budget.
According to data provided by Angara’s office, here are the top 10 government sectors and agencies with the highest allocation in the 2021 budget:
- Education (Department of Education, State Universities and Colleges, Higher Education Commission, TESDA) – P708,181 billion
- Department of Public Works and Highways – P694,822 billion
- Department of the Interior and Local Government – P247.506 billion
- Department of National Defense – P205.471 billion
- Department of Social Welfare and Development – P176,659 million
- Department of Health – P134,941 billion
- Department of Transportation – P87.445 billion
- Department of Agriculture – P68.622 billion
- Judiciary – P44.108 billion
- Department of Labor and Employment – P36,606 billion
Angara’s office clarified that the funds for the COVID-related measures were distributed among various government agencies, and not just DOH, which explains why the health department was only ranked sixth.
Now that the bicam has approved the national budget, it is expected that the Senate and the House will ratify it this Wednesday afternoon so that it can be sent to the office of President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.
CFC
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