Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado
MANILA – The programs that will ensure the recovery of the Philippine economy, as well as people’s livelihood, will be the priorities under the proposed PHP4.3-trillion national budget for next year.
The proposed 2021 national budget is slightly higher than the PHP4.1 trillion this year.
During the Laging Handa public briefing Wednesday, Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado said they continue to do technical reviews on the budget proposals that have been submitted by the various government agencies.
Avisado said an executive review will be made in the first week of July to thresh out issues and ensure that priority programs will have enough financing.
“Lahat ng ito ay nakatuon sa priorities ng national government in line pa rin with our (These proposals are in line with the national government’s) desire to precisely continue to combat this pandemic and at the same time also provide the kind of programs, activities, and projects for our people lalo’t higit iyong mga nawalan ng hanapbuhay or trabaho at ng sa ganoon ay mayroon po silang mapagkukuhanan. (especially those who lost their jobs),” he said.
Avisado said the programs “will concentrate more on labor-intensive projects and activities to give income opportunities to the most vulnerable and the most affected sector and workers both in public and private sectors.”
If the Budget department will not be able to submit a copy of the proposed budget to Congress after the President’s State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA), which the law requires to be held on the fourth Monday of July, which this year falls on July 27, it will be submitted in the second week of August, he said.
Avisado added they submitted this year’s proposed budget on Aug. 20, 2019, or the last day of the submission period. (PNA)
