DBM releases P175.9M for DOST scholars, health research

THE Department o f Budget and Management (DBM) over the weekend said it has approved the release of P175.902 million worth of additional notices of cash allocation ( NCAs) for the Grants-In-Aid (GIA) program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman approved the release of the NCAs on Feb. 13 and 27, covering the cash requirement for the program of the DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).

Pangandaman said the requested amount would cover GIA programs such as stipends for scholars, f i nancial assistance t o s t ate un i ve r s i t i es and colleges ( SUCs), research and development, capacity strengthening, f i nancial support for researchers, and the conduct of forums and conventions.

T h i s i s p a r t o f t h e P675.812 million released to the DOST- PCHRD for the GIA Program lodged under Development, Integration, M a n a g e m e n t , a n d Coordination of the National Health Research System for Health and Related Fields.

“I nvesting i n health research t ranslates t o investing in a healthier and more resilient future for our nation. With this additional fund, we help empower our scientists, scholars, and institutions to drive innovation and make a lasting impact on public health,” she said.

The DBM previously released P25.646 million t o t h e D O S T- P C H R D for its regular operating requirements for the first quarter. It was allocated P828.955 million for the full year 2024, inclusive of automatic appropriations.

The P5.768- t r i l l i o n national budget for 2024 was signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in December 2023, reflecting a 9.5%- increase from 2023’s P5.268 trillion.