(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget that provides funds for the government’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout and infrastructure development for next year.
The signing ceremony happened on Monday, Dec. 28, attended by members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“I stand before you today happy and proud to sign the 2021 General Appropriations Act,” President Duterte said in his message.
-P72.5-B budget for COVID-19 vaccine roll-out-
“Let me stress, however, that one of the most important items in the 2021 budget is the allocation of 72.5 billion pesos for the purchase, storage, transportation, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines,” Duterte said.
Under the 2021 national budget, the education sector received the highest allocation at PhP751.7 billion.
This is followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) with PhP695.7 billion (15.4 percent) and PhP249.3 billion (5.5 percent), respectively.
The Department of Health (DOH), being the primary government arm in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, will receive PhP210.2 billion which is 19.6 percent higher than its 2020 budget.
This is followed by the Department of National Defense (DND) with PhP205.8 billion, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with PhP176.9 billion, Department of Transportation (DOTr) with PhP87.9 billion, Department of Agriculture (DA) with PhP71.0 billion, The Judiciary with PhP45.3 billion, and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with PhP37.1 billion.
“This important piece of legislation attests to the importance of an active and fruitful collaboration between the Executive and the Legislative branches of government, especially at this time when the health and welfare of our people are at stake,” President Duterte said.
Malacanang, in a release, said that the “ratification of the 2021 national budget manifests the commitment of all stakeholders to set aside divisive partisan politics for national good.”
-PHL’s biggest national budget so far-
This is the third full cash budget of the Duterte Administration and serves as the government’s financial blueprint to recovery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PhP4.506 trillion budget is the country’s largest to date, larger by 10 percent than the 2020 budget.
The 2021 budget is equivalent to 21.8 percent of gross domestic product.
“Carrying the theme ‘Reset, Rebound, and Recover: Investing for Resiliency and Sustainability,’ the 2021 national budget will help the nation reset by addressing the pandemic, rebound by boosting infrastructure development and by generating job opportunities, and rebuild by assisting communities adapt to the post-pandemic life,” the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said in a release.
With the signing of the 2021 national budget, the President said his administration could continue pursuing its flagship Build, Build, Build program, revitalize the industry and service sectors, and support much-needed social services projects.
“As we look forward with hope for the coming year, let me assure the public that this administration will ensure the efficient use of our resources through a sound fiscal policy that will enable us to overcome the debilitating effects of the pandemic on public health and our economy,” he added.
President Duterte assured the Filipino public that every centavo contained in next year’s spending measure would be spent to ensure the nation’s recovery, resilience, and sustainability.
(with a Malacanang release)
