P3.35 trillion budget for 2017

Yesterday, the current admin presented to the House of Representatives its first full year national budget: P3.35 trillion for 2017, and has human resources and social development as the most prioritized sectors.

The national budget was turned over by Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who quickly ordered the House Committee on Appropriations to start the budget process in the legislative department. The budget hearings is set to start next Monday.


This year’s proposed budget is 11.6 percent higher than this year’s current budget, which is at P3.002 trillion. To finance the expenditures, revenues that are to be collected are expected to be at P2.48 trillion, about 10 percent more than the target this year.

Photo from CNN Ph

The human empowerment sectors which include Departments of Social Welfare, Education, Labor and Employment, and Health will get 40 percent of the total budget. On the other hand, economic services get 27.6 percent.

“We have proposed that P355.7 billion of the budget for infrastructure be spent for fixing and building road networks, seaports, systems and airport system. The infrastructure outlays in 2017 is equivalent to 5.4 percent of the GDP,” explained Diokno.

Here are the top 10 sectors or agencies in terms of budgetary allocations:

1. DepEd, P567.5 billion
2. DPWH, P458.6 billion
3. DILG, P150 billion
4. Defense, P134.5 billion
5. DSWD, P129.9 billion
6. Health, P94 billion
7. SUCs, P58.8 billion
8. DOTr, P55.4 billion
9. Agriculture, P45.2 billion
10. ARMM, P41.7 billion

The congress, meanwhile, will be allocated P14.12 billion and the judiciary P32.5 billion.
Diokno also insisted that “there is no PDAF in this budget, let’s put it that way.” ASCS

Source: Manila Bulletin

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