The government’s expenditures for infrastructure and other capital outlays in 2021 exceeded the full-year program by 17.6 percent as implementation sped up amid the relatively eased restrictions last year, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Data released by the DBM showed that infrastructure spending totaled to P895.1 billion in 2021, exceeding the P761.2 billion program by P133.9 billion.
The DBM report attributed this to the “payment of accounts payables and accelerated implementation of infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) amid the relatively looser community quarantine restrictions in 2021.”
Disbursements for infrastructure also rose by 31.3 percent or P213.5 billion from the year ago level of P681.5 billion.
“The significant expansion in infrastructure and other capital outlays was due to the combined effects of the lower base in 2020 with the discontinuation of some capital outlay projects which can no longer be implemented or completed due to the pandemic pursuant to the Bayanihan I and II; and the implementation of various infrastructure projects of the DPWH nationwide and the aviation and rail transport foreign-assisted projects of the Department of Transportation,” the DBM said.
The agency added that capital outlays of other departments such as the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program of the Department of National Defense and the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health also contributed to higher infrastructure spending.
“When combined with the infrastructure components of subsidy, equity releases to government-owned and -controlled corporations and transfers to local government units, the total infrastructure disbursements for 2021 reached P1.12 trillion, equivalent to 5.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP),” the DBM said.
This is 29.2 percent higher than 2020’s P869.9 billion (4.8 percent of GDP) and 10.2 percent more than the P1.02 trillion program (5.6 percent of GDP) for 2021.
