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BTA approves P85.3-B 2023 budget

By Edwin Fernandez

December 21, 2022, 2:20 pm

<p><strong>BUDGET APPROVED.</strong> The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) approves Tuesday (Dec. 20, 2022) the 2023 P85.3 billion Bangsamoro Expenditure Program with priority given to education, health, infrastructure and social services. Some members of the BTA pose for posterity photo after the approval of the budget, which is higher by PHP5.5 billion than the previous year. <em>(BTA photo)</em></p>

BUDGET APPROVED. The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) approves Tuesday (Dec. 20, 2022) the 2023 P85.3 billion Bangsamoro Expenditure Program with priority given to education, health, infrastructure and social services. Some members of the BTA pose for posterity photo after the approval of the budget, which is higher by PHP5.5 billion than the previous year. (BTA photo)

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has approved the 2023 Bangsamoro Expenditure Program amounting to PHP85.3 billion with priority focus on education, health, infrastructure and social services.

The budget, contained in BTA Bill No. 54, was approved on third and final reading Tuesday afternoon with 44 affirmative votes with no zero vote and no abstention.

“The BTA Committee on Finance, Budget, and Management (CFBM) truly underwent marathon hearings and scrutinized the proposed budgets of all ministries and offices to ensure that the budget is for the Bangsamoro people," Member of Parliament Eduard Guerra, CFBM chair, said in a statement Wednesday.

“Following this approval, we will move forward with the implementation of all projects and programs in the provinces of the region, including the Special Geographic Area,” Guerra added.

The 2023 budget of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is higher by PHP5.5 billion compared to the PHP79.8 billion 2022 budget.

BARMM allocated PHP70.1 billion for all the ministries, agencies and offices while PHP15.2 billion is allotted for Special Purpose Funds.

The top 10 ministries and offices with the biggest budget allocation are as follows: Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (PHP27.2 billion); Ministry of Public Works (PHP16.4 billion); Office of the Chief Minister (PHP5.9 billion); Ministry of Health (PHP5.8 billion); Bangsamoro Transition Authority (PHP3.9 billion) and Ministry of Social Services (PHP3.07 billion).

Ministry of Interior and Local Government (PHP2.04 billion); Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (PHP1.5 billion); Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy, (PHP666 million) and Ministry of Transportation and Communications (PHP539 million). (PNA)

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