Senate moves closer to passing 2023 budget

THE Senate is expected to pass the House version of the proposed 2023 General Appropriations Bill next week after it ended plenary debates on the measure on Friday.

Tackled during the more than 12hour session are the proposed budgets of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), Congress, the Department of Health (DoH), and the National Commission on Senior Citizens.

Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, defended the PSA budget for the second time after the Senate deferred its submission last Wednesday, pending the interpellation of Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino.

After Tolentino’s interpellation, the P9.73 billion budget was deemed submitted for the chamber’s consideration.

On the last day of the plenary session, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano challenged the CHEd to come up with a “breakthrough legislation” that would bring the quality of education in the country to the next level.

“We want to challenge CHEd: Next to UniFAST (United Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education), what would be the next earthshaking agencysponsored legislation that will really help our students not only have access to education, finish their studies, or to get the best opportunities but also to have a brighter future?” Cayetano said.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian presented the proposed budget for Congress amounting to P26.1 billion.

Gatchalian said the budget includes “an important appropriation” of P82 million for the creation of the Second Congressional Commission on Education.

Sen. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla urged his colleagues to increase the budget for the DoST to support its research and development programs on the proper use of the country’s natural resources.

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go asked for an additional budget for the DoH to ensure the continuous implementation of primary care programs.

Go also called on the DoH and the Department of Budget and Management to hasten the distribution of allowances to health

care workers.

“We really need to further strengthen our health care system. We must invest more in health,” said Go, who chairs the Committee on Health and Demography.

Sen. Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano assured that the Senate fully supports the budget proposal of the DoH and has found adequate funding for it.

Under the proposed DoH 2023 budget, the office of the secretary is expected to get P214.8 billion; P439.1 million for the National Nutrition Council; P43.53 million for the Philippine National Aids Council; P1.130 billion for the Lung Center of the Philippines; P1.771 billion for the National Kidney and Transplant Institute; P2.31 billion for the Philippine Children’s Medical Center; P2.266 billion for the Philippine Heart Center; and P100.233 billion for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Sen. Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos defended the proposed P193-million budget of the National Commission on Senior Citizens.

Marcos said the commission was able to get the approval of the Department of Budget and Management for 200 plantilla positions and only 57 personnel from the Department of Social Welfare Development will have to be transferred to the body.

Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros expressed confidence that the health sector has a roadmap toward healthier Filipinos to guide us in ensuring an outcomebased expenditure program for our health.”

Hontiveros noted that the agency received increases in its budget: from P173 billion in 2019 to P274 billion in 2022, and for next year, from the proposed P301 billion to P323 billion.

“We should keep it this way to realize our collective aspiration for universal health care,” she said.