The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) submitted the Php 5.268 trillion proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2023 to the House of Representatives on Monday, Aug. 22.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez welcomed the submission of the budget proposal from DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
The first National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2023 under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., prioritizes the following: health-related expenditures, disaster risk management, social security, digital/economy government, local government support, and growth-inducing expenditures.
The Department of Education (DepEd) got the biggest allocated budget with Php 852.8 billion, followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with Php 718.4 billion, the Department of Health (DOH) with Php 296.3 billion, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with Php 197 billion, and the Department of Agriculture with Php 184.1 billion.
In his speech, Romualdez said that Congress will effectively respond to the public needs and vow to address the continued impact of the pandemic, create more jobs, and ensure food security.
“Every centavo of the budget will be spent wisely to implement programs that would save lives, protect communities, and make our economy strong and more agile. Our leadership endeavors to be in partnership with the Senate and Malacangan and we shall work in boosting our infrastructure development through our Build Back Program,“ he stressed.
Romualdez said the House is aiming to finish the committee and plenary deliberations on the budget proposal before October 1st, when congress is scheduled to go on recess that will last up to Nov. 6.
The House speaker also emphasized that they are committed to performing their mandate to scrutinize and act deliberately and cautiously on the national budget for it is the “most important piece of legislation“ this year.
