By Revin Mikhael D. Ochave, Reporter THE head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday said the agency lacks the budget and manpower needed to mitigate the impact of climate change and boost environmental protection efforts across the country. “Unfortunately, the way we are set up is that the fiscal space […]
Tag: budget
Agencies’ budget utilization rate rises to 98% in 2022
THE cash utilization rate posted by government agencies hit 98% at the end of December, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said. In a report on Tuesday, the DBM said the National Government, local governments and state-owned firms used 98% of the P4.42 trillion in funding allocated to them based on the year-end tally […]
8 airports have funding in 2023 budget — DBM
THIS YEAR’s budget has guaranteed funds for eight airports in the country, including a new one in Zamboanga City that will replace the existing facility, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced on Thursday. “This budgetary allocation seeks to support the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of the country’s transportation infrastructure, particularly in the aviation […]
Gov’t has P1.3-B budget for free bus rides this year — DBM
THE GOVERNMENT has allocated P1.285 billion in this year’s budget for the continuation of free bus services nationwide, including the EDSA Busway system in Metro Manila, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Thursday. “We understand the plight of our commuting public. The service contracting program, which funds ‘Libreng Sakay’ is a big […]
Cebu City okays historic P51.4B budget for 2023
THE Cebu City Council has approved the P51.4 billion proposed budget of the City Government for 2023, which is expected to fuel the Singapore-like Cebu City vision of Mayor Michael Rama. With an affirmative vote from 10 councilors, three negative votes, and one abstention, the ordinance enacting City Hall’s P51,457,715,685.30 annual budget for next year […]
PLDT says it will cut capex starting 2023
PLDT INC. on Thursday said it will cut its capital expenditure budget starting next year, as it grapples with the fallout from the P48-billion budget overrun that sparked a sell-off and a probe by regulators. PLDT Chief Executive Officer and President Alfredo S. Panlilio said in a disclosure that a confluence of factors, such as […]
Cebu City Council ‘terminates’ budget hearings
THE Cebu City Council has terminated the budget hearings for the city’s proposed P50 billion budget for next year even though five departments, including the legislative department, have yet to present their respective budget proposals. City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, who chairs the committee on budget and finance, confirmed that they terminated the budget hearings on […]
Seares: Mayor Mike wants to do nine years of work in three. Will he compromise on P50B budget, bundling of tax increases? …Kons Noel denies the mayor threw a newspaper at him.
WHAT’S UP ON THE BIG ISSUE. Amid the public hearings of the Cebu City Council committee on budget and finance, along with “bicameral” meetings of the mayor’s staff and the councilors to reach some agreement, two things: [1] What does Mayor Mike Rama really want for his 2023 budget: the full P50 billion or much […]
Budget release rate hits 97.4% at end of November
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said budget funds released to national agencies and local government units hit P5.15 trillion at the end of November, for a release rate of 97.4% against an adjusted budget of P5.29 trillion. Releases at the end of October had totaled P5.08 trillion, exceeding the original 2022 budget of […]
Super-sized P50B budget requires more hearings
THE legislative department of the Cebu City Government has vowed to support the “Singapore-like” Cebu City vision of Mayor Michael Rama, but the P50 billion proposed budget for it needs scrutiny. This, after the City Council and members of Mayor Michael Rama’s executive branch, had a bicameral meeting last Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, to find […]
Romualdez says Marcos to sign 2023 budget after Dec. 14 Brussels trip
HOUSE Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday said the 2023 national budget will be signed into law as soon as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos returns from this Brussels trip on Dec. 14. “That is the most important piece of legislation, and we’ve tackled it, we’ve dispatched, and we [will proceed] now with our draft,” […]
Espinoza: Is Cebu City’s proposed P50 billion budget realizable?
Without the planned one-time big-time increase in real property tax, the P50 billion budget that Mayor Mike Rama proposed for next year to support his Singapore-like vision for Cebu City could not be attained. Most city councilors, even if they support the Singapore-like dream of the city mayor, could not agree on the imposition of […]
Congressman: P3-B wifi budget illegally moved to MMDA
AT LEAST P3 billion in public funds was illegally transferred to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to finance its free wifi project without congressional consent, according to a lawmaker. MMDA later bid out a P1.1-billion project for the capital region’s fiber optic backbone development, Northern Samar Rep. Paul R. Daza told a House of […]
DICT secretary appeals for cybersecurity budget in confirmation hearing
THE COMMISSION on Appointments on Tuesday approved the nomination of Ivan John E. Uy as Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) secretary. During the hearing, Mr. Uy said his agenda was to enhance the country’s cybersecurity preparedness and appealed for budgetary support from Congress. “It is a very relevant issue today as we see […]
EXPLAINER: Public hearing on Cebu City budget spotlights Sanggunian dilemma: screen expenses or raise taxes first. On P50 billion 2023 outlay, Vice Mayor Garcia says, ‘So what?’ Risky for treasurer, bad for City Council, say Councilors Pesquera, Archival.
WHICH TO DO FIRST. The first of a series of public hearings on the proposed P50 billion budget for 2023 opened Monday (December 5, 2022) with the City Council committee on budget and finance locked in an intense discussion on the dilemma of what to do first. Should they review now the appropriations of about […]
Senate told to rein in parochial interest in 2023 budget measure
POLITICAL analysts said all local infrastructure projects should have been identified already to avoid lump sum appropriations in the budget. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN By Alyssa Nicole O. Tan, Reporter THE SENATE should ensure that the bicameral version of next year’s budget bill aligns with national priorities rather than local interests, political analysts […]
Philippines slips in budget transparency ranking
By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter THE Philippines placed 19th out of 120 countries in the Open Budget survey, which gauges the transparency of government spending, falling nine places from the previous survey in 2019. “The survey assesses transparency of how public resources are raised and spent; opportunities for participation in budget policy decisions; […]
PHL told to improve people’s participation in budget process
THE PHILIPPINES needs to include more ordinary people or representatives from civic groups in the budget process, according to observers, after the country fared poorly on people’s participation in public budgeting in a survey that measured access to and inclusiveness of budget decisions of 120 countries. The Congress should “allow any member of the public […]
PB approves Cebu’s P20B budget for 2023
THE P20.15 billion budget for next year proposed by the executive department of the Cebu Provincial Government has been unanimously approved. The Provincial Board (PB)—dominated by lawmakers allied with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia—made no amendments to the budget, which it passed on third and final reading during its regular session on Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. PB […]
Ejercito appeals to restore slashed budget for 2 rail transport projects
SENATOR Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito has asked Congress to restore the slashed allocation in the 2023 budget for the North-South Commuter Railway System and the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway System, noting that the funds are necessary for right-of-way acquisition and value-added tax payments. “If ever there are budget cuts, definitely, the […]