The national government’s expenditures for infrastructure and other capital outlays rose by 3.8 percent in August, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
In a document posted on its website, the DBM said infrastructure spending reached P73.7 billion in August versus the P70.9 billion recorded a year ago.
“The uptick resulted from the faster implementation of infrastructure projects and other construction activities per the directive of Secretary Manuel Bonoan (of the Department of Public Works and Highways) to meet the spending targets of the department for the year,” the DBM said.
The budget department added that processing of payments for right-of-way claims nationwide also contributed to the higher infrastructure outlays in August this year.
“However, one-off constructive receipts of cash payments in the same month last year for various railway projects of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), namely the Metro Manila Subway Project, the Malolos-Clark Railway Project, and the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 Rehabilitation Project; and the payments for some completed capital outlays projects, such as the Smart Campuses Program in state universities and colleges and the aviation sector infrastructure projects of the DOTr, partially offset the growth recorded in infrastructure expenditures,” the DBM said.
Year-to-date, spending for infrastructure and other capital outlays rose by 10.2 percent to P628.6 billion from P570.4 billion the previous year. – Angela Celis
