SENATE finance committee chairman Juan Edgardo Angara on Wednesday said there could be a close to P1-trillion increase in the national budget for next year as the country deals with the effects of COVID-19.
In a virtual press conference, Angara said the 2021 national budget may increase to P5 trillion from the present P4.1 trillion national budget, with a third of it to be allocated for the country’s debt payments and the rest, around P3.3 trillion, to be used for new items that could be part of the country’s stimulus package and payment for the salaries of government employees.
“So palagay ko, it will be a stimulus budget. So, you’re talking maybe close to P5T assuming we go by the usual increase… The personnel service is the large chunk of that pero ‘yung non-personnel items, palagay ko ang karamihan diyan, even the infrastructure, will be tied towards providing stimulus (So I think it will be a stimulus budget. So, you’re talking maybe close to P5T assuming we go by the usual increase… The personnel service is the large chunk of that but the non-personnel items, I think most it, even the infrastructure, will be tied towards providing stimulus),” Angara said.
Angara said more funds will be geared towards the public health sector, adding the public will see lesser purchase of items such as vehicles, lesser travels for government personnel, and lesser seminars which he said can be now be held online.
“We’ll be seeing much more emphasis on the public health sector. Probably ire-review ang budget ng PhilHealth, ‘yung government assistance for premiums (Probably, the budget of PhilHealth will be reviewed, the government assistance for premiums). We’ll also be looking at improving government (health) facilities nationwide,” he said.
Angara said next year’s budget will also provide assistance to the business, labor, and tourism sectors.
He said they may include in the 2021 General Appropriations Act a clause that will authorize President Duterte to realign budget as the need arises, which will be similar to the provisions in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
Angara added said the provisions should have safeguards to prevent abuse in the discharge of the budget and that it should only during the duration of the emergency.
“Kung wala nang COVID, siguro hindi na kailangan ‘yung power na ‘yun (If the COVID crisis is over, maybe that power will no longer be needed),” he said.
