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Rep. Of Albay Joey Salceda. PHOTOGRAPHIC FILE
MANILA, Philippines – A “small committee” in the House of Representatives on Monday approved P20 billion in institutional amendments, including providing additional funding for the COVID-19 vaccine, to the proposed 2021 national budget.
In an online interview with journalists, the representative of the second district of Albay, Joey Salceda, said that this was resolved during the meeting of the small committee in charge of receiving and resolving the amendments to the proposed budget for 2021 on Monday morning.
“The small group had the consensus to consider only institutional amendments and departmental errors and to consider individual amendments during the bicam,” said Salceda.
The breakdown of this amount is as follows:
- P5.5 billion for the COVID-19 vaccine;
- P4 billion for the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to help displaced workers;
- P2 billion for pandemic assistance to affected families;
- P2 billion for the Department of Health (DOH) Health Facility Improvement Program (HFEP) to upgrade and equip hospitals;
- P2 billion for the acquisition of C-130 aircraft by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP);
- P2 billion for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to mobilize the assets of the Philippine National Police (PNP);
- P1.7 billion for the Department of Education (DepEd) for the Internet needs of schools;
- 400 million pesos for the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) for the development of renewable energies;
- P300 million under the Department of Health (DOH) for mental health programs
- P100 million for the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to improve and modernize its system;
Salceda said that committee members also analyzed the coverage of Bayanihan To Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 to identify the sectors that should be prioritized in the 2021 budget.
“The requirement for the AFP example, we really need a C-130, we really want five, so he said go ahead and give two first. Even if it’s just a 15 percent down payment, ”Salceda said.
(The requirement, for example, at AFP, is that we desperately need the C-130, we really wanted five, so let’s initially give them two. Even if this is only a 15 percent down payment).
“It’s over [Then with] HFEP, yes [me] As an analyst, you would see that some of these items actually go up much higher. One that I think would go much higher, I think it would be HFEP. Kasi nakalagay ngayon sa existing budget na sinubit [Because what has been indicated in the existing budget that was submitted] is P4.7 [billion], but the 4.7 is just for equipping. The addition of the house is essentially to complete the construction, ”he added.
Albay 1st District representative Edcel Lagman, who is also a member of the small committee, has been tasked with continuing to receive amendments that will be addressed in the bicameral conference committee.
“Sometimes always because it is COVID, sometimes there are communication difficulties, sometimes … Then we do not do it, we have not closed the door but what we have closed is the book,” said Salceda.
Ready for presentation to the Senate
With the approval of the institutional amendments, Salceda said that the House version of the proposed budget for 2021 is now ready to be presented to the Senate.
“The implications are that the probability of recreation is zero, [it] empowers the government to face the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic and restore the Philippines as a national state to its growth trajectory, maintain macroeconomic stability and make progress in growth sustainable, ”said Salceda.
Also, Salceda said that in his experience this was the fastest approval made by the small committee in charge of the budget.
“This is, I think, the fastest small group committee in the history of this House of Representatives. I myself have been president of assignments, senior vice president for many years, ”Salceda said.
“If you look at the context, the need is very obvious,” he added, when asked about the difference between this year’s meeting and previous years.
The small committee is made up of the following legislators:
- Majority Leader Martín Romualdez
- Speaker of House Assignments, Eric Yap
- Rizal First District Representative Jack Duavit
- Representative of the 2nd District of Bataan José Enrique García
- Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda
- Batangas 1st District Rep. Eileen Ermita-Buhain
- BH Bernadette Herrera Partylist Representative
- AAMBIS-OWA Partylist Representative Sharon Garin
- Oriental Mindoro 1st District Representative Doy Leachon
- Camiguin Representative Xavier Jesus Romualdo
- Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma
- Samar 1st District Representative Edgar Marie Sarmiento
- Stella Luz Quimbo, representative of the second district of the city of Marikina
- Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman
Meanwhile, Yap said the Senate will receive an electronic copy of the proposed 2021 budget approved by the House by Oct. 28, as requested by some senators.
JPV
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