THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Wednesday that it had released P2.97 trillion or 56.4% of the 2023 budget at the end of January. According to the DBM’s Status of Allotment report, P2.298 trillion remains undistributed to agencies and local government units from the P5.268-trillion 2023 budget. The pace of fund releases […]
Tag: government
P28.9-B fund to help LGUs build capacity for devolution
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the P28.9-billion Local Government Support Fund will be deployed for capacity-building projects ahead of the imminent devolution of National Government (NG) services. “We will formulate capacity-building training, and seminars for our LGUs (local government units) to help them — so that by the time we have full […]
UN: Consider SDGs in budget planning
THE United Nations (UN) representative in the Philippines said the government needs to prepare its budget in a manner that would help it better achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). “Improving the integration of climate and environmental sustainability into national planning processes and private sector business models is an imperative,” UN Resident Coordinator for […]
PPP Center focused on solicited projects to better align with gov’t priorities
THE head of the PPP Center said the agency plans to focus on solicited projects, which will have been vetted extensively for conformity to government priorities. “One thing we are trying to implement now is to make sure that we focus on the solicited mode of PPPs (public-private partnerships) because we know that projects take […]
TradeNet moves closer to launch with MoA signing
ONLINE trade platform TradeNet moved closer to launch with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) by the lead agencies, the Department of Finance (DoF) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) said in a statement on Tuesday that the MoA was signed by Finance Secretary Benjamin […]
DICT 7 to set up 800 ‘Wi-Fi access points’ in Central Visayas
THE Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) 7 plans to establish over 800 Wi-Fi access points (AP) to provide free internet connection to the public. However, DICT 7 Director Frederick Amores said that while they are providing free Wi-Fi connection through their APs across the region, the project is not for personal or gaming […]
‘Sinkhole’ swallows woman in Danao City
A WOMAN died after she was swallowed up by a “sinkhole” in Purok 3, Barangay Sabang, Danao City, northern Cebu, around 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. The victim was identified as Mejame Papaya, a 46-year-old factory worker. The search and rescue team composed of police officers, firefighters, employees of the City Disaster Risk […]
Davao de Oro suspends classes, gov’t work after quake
THE DAVAO de Oro provincial government suspended classes at all levels and work at nonessential local offices on Thursday to give way to building inspections after a magnitude 6 earthquake shook the province on Wednesday night. Other national agencies in the province could heed the suspension to ensure the safety of their workers, Governor Dorothy […]
Police: ICC probe violates Philippine sovereignty
PHILIPPINE police on Monday accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) of violating the country’s sovereignty by reopening its investigation into the government’s deadly war on drugs. The Hague-based tribunal should “give due respect to the judicial processes that we have in our country because we are a sovereign country,” national police chief General Rodolfo S. […]
Farm modernization, more industry, services trade seen key to addressing inflation
By Keisha B. Ta-asan, Reporter THE GOVERNMENT needs to modernize its farms or generate more trade from industry and services to offset a food import policy if it is to adequately address inflation, analysts said. Leonardo A. Lanzona, an economics professor at the Ateneo De Manila, said the government needs to act decisively to bring […]
Sarangani obtains P-B LANDBANK loan for development projects
LAND BANK of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has approved a P1-billion loan for the Sarangani provincial government to fund development projects. Sarangani will spend half of the money to buy heavy equipment, P200 million for hospital and medical equipment, and P300 million for the establishment of a provincial agri-fisheries complex, the state-owned bank said in a […]
Journalists still in danger of being killed, harassed under Marcos gov’t, says CPJ
By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter FILIPINO journalists remained at risk of getting killed and harassed under the government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). “All four of the murders in the Philippines were of radio journalists covering local politics, highlighting the dangers faced by […]
Marcos tells advisors he will certify E-Governance bill as urgent, backs RCEP
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signaled his intent to certify as urgent a measure that will digitalize the bureaucracy to his business-sector advisors. The Palace also announced that Mr. Marcos is pushing the Senate to act on the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement. Mr. Marcos made his intent to certify […]
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 […]
DBM considering ‘green’ standards for gov’t procurement
THE Procurement Service (PS) of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is planning to impose a green public procurement (GPP) standard to ensure that the government spends in a sustainable manner. “The establishment of an inter-agency technical specifications review committee is one of the reform initiatives we spearheaded to take government procurement to a […]
Davao WTE project still up for NEDA approval, full funding
DAVAO CITY’S proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) project is still up for final approval by the national government and has yet to secure the full funding needed to set up the facility, according to a local council member. Councilor Temujin “Tek” B. Ocampo, chair of the city council’s environment committee, said the WTE plan has already been […]
UP-MSI researchers push for wastewater-based COVID-19 monitoring after Davao study
RESEARCHERS FROM the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) called on government to adopt a wastewater-based monitoring of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nationwide, saying this method allows for more localized surveillance and targeted mitigation measures. “Detecting RNA in wastewater could help local government units forecast what barangays are at risk and may need closer […]
Under Anwar, Malaysia can ‘do better’ on climate, using global funds
KUALA LUMPUR – To help Malaysia head off frequent floods and choking air pollution caused by forest fires, new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should tap more global green funding to protect nature and tackle the effects of warming, climate change experts say. Ending a decades-long wait to lead the Southeast Asian nation, largely ruled by one coalition since independence, Mr. Anwar, 75, formed a government […]
Congress to focus on passing E-Gov’t bill when session opens
THE House of Representatives will give the proposed E-Government Act its full attention when the chamber resumes session, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said. “The House of Representatives remains committed to pass the priority legislation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., including measures for digitalization in both government and private transactions that would bolster efficiency, […]
Marcos says cybersecurity upgrades to accompany digitalization push
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. promised a corresponding effort to upgrade cybersecurity alongside his government’s push to digitalize the bureaucracy, the Palace said in a statement. “Security has become a huge issue… that’s what we are trying to design now, a cybersecurity system for sensitive information,” he was quoted as saying in an open forum […]