Infra, human capital get biggest budget in 2019

The Duterte administration has earmarked the highest budget allocation for public infrastructure and human capital development for next year in line with the government’s plan to accelerate the country’s economic expansion.

In a statement, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said yesterday that the Duterte administration’s priorities in 2019 remain public infrastructure and human capital development, cornering R1.215 trillion, about 33.3 percent of the proposed R3.757-trillion budget for next year.

The proposed 2019 general appropriations will be submitted to Congress on July 23.

Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said that the proposed national budget will be the first cash-based appropriation of the government, reflecting the urgent need to speed up public service delivery to the people.

“Higher investments on infrastructure will support economic growth, targeted to reach seven percent to eight percent in 2019,” the budget department said, noting it will create jobs, and spur opportunities in the countryside.

“Spending for human capital, such as education, healthcare, and social protection, will mold the country’s young population into a world-class and competent workforce capable of sustaining the Philippine’s growth momentum,” the department added.

Diokno said, “We are sticking to our plan of focusing on Build, Build, Build and social services. These are the priorities we identified as early as the beginning of our term, and we will see to it that investments on these sectors are sustained.”

The sector with the highest allocation is education, comprised of the budgets of the Department of Education (DepEd), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Its cash-appropriations in the proposed 2019 budget amount to R659.3 billion, higher by 12.3 percent than its cash-based equivalent in the 2018 budget.

Consistent with Build, Build, Build thrust, the Public Works Department (DPWH) is allocated R555.7 billion, registering a R225.5 billion or 68.3 percent increase.

Interior and Local Government (DILG) comes in third, with an allocation of R225.6 billion, higher by 31 percent. The bigger allocation will strengthen local governance, and support the public safety initiatives of the government.

DILG is followed by Defense with a budget of R183.4 billion, an increase of 34.4 percent. Such an amount will bolster security and promote peace and order in the country.

Social Welfare, composed of the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the budget for Unconditional Cash Transfers under the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), is fifth with an allocation of R173.3 billion, higher by 5.4 percent.

Funding for social welfare will support the poverty-reduction efforts and social protection programs of the government.

Health, which combines the budget of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC), has an allocation of R141.4 billion, lower by nine percent due to a significant cut in the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP)

The health budget will enable the government to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to Filipinos, the DBM said.

Transportation (DOTr) has the seventh-highest allocation, with a budget of R76.1 billion, increasing by 89 percent to address the need for efficient and comfortable mass transport systems all over the country, easing the lives of Filipino commuters.

Rounding out the top 10 are the Agriculture Department (DA), the Judiciary, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The DA has a budget of R 49.8 billion, higher by 22 percent, to promote agricultural development and improve the lives of those in the rural sector.

Meanwhile, the Judiciary has a budget of R37.3 billion. This represents a 5.4 percent increase for the swift and fair administration of justice.

Lastly, the ARMM is allocated R32.3 billion, R7.9 billion or 32.4% higher than last year. It will support the livelihood, peace and order, and rural development projects in the region.

“The President’s Budget for 2019 will continue to provide the largest allocations to the priority development initiatives of the government,” said the Budget Secretary.

“We have not only increased the budgetary allocations of agencies, but also implemented reforms to speed up the delivery of essential public goods and services to our citizens,” he concluded.