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It’s that time of year.
No, we are not talking of Christmas which, in the Philippines, starts in September. We are talking of the budget season.
Congress, which has the power of the purse, is now conducting hearings on the proposed P5-trillion budget of the government for 2022.
With the pandemic far from over, one would think that the proposed 2022 budget will reflect the continuing, if not escalating, need for funds to deal with the pandemic.
That is why it should come as a big surprise that the 2022 budget proposal for pandemic response spread across various government agencies is only P240.1 billion, a mere 4.8 percent of the government’s total budget proposal of P5 trillion.
For comparison, as of mid-April this year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released a total of P653.4 billion, the bulk of which funded the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. Translation: the pandemic response budget as proposed for 2022 is only at best a little more than a third (36.7 percent) of pandemic-related spending as of mid-April.
But wait, there’s more. From the P240.1 billion proposed for next year, about a fifth (18.9 percent) or P45.4 billion is unprogrammed (standby authority only; only tapped if revenues exceed targets or if there are grants).
One might then guess that the unprogrammed item is for something inconsequential. But, surprise, surprise–the unprogrammed item is for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.
But wait, there’s still some more. No funds have been allocated by DBM for health workers’ allowances in 2022–special risk allowance (SRA), hazard pay, and allowances for meals, accommodations, and transportation (MAT)–despite the request of the Department of Health (DOH).
Could it be that DBM has divined that the pandemic will end by 1 January 2022?
The budget message reads in part: “The 2022 National Budget will sustain our COVID-19 response efforts…”
The numbers don’t agree with the words.**Note: This section will appear here every month. If you want to read similar articles go to this link: https://www.facebook.com/PROUTManila/
