(Eagle News) — Malacanang on Friday welcomed the passage of the next year’s proposed Php3.002-trillion national budget from the Senate, saying this was a significant step in the implementation of the principles of good governance.
Voting 14-1 and no abstention, the Senate on Thursday night (Nov. 26) approved on third and final reading its proposed P3.002 trillion national budget for 2016.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., said this final approval of the 2016 budget is a crucial step towards timely implementation of the national budget on the first day of 2016.
“Tiyak na ikinagagalak ng mga Boss –ang sambayanang Pilipino– and kanilang nasasaksihang pagtutulungan ng Legislatura at Ehekutibo upang pairalin ang prinsipyo ng mabuting pamamahala,” he said in a statement.
The Senate approved the final budget with some major amendments, including the Php10.78-billion augmentation to the Department of National Defense’s budget.
Of the total, Php1.106 trillion or 36.8 percent will be earmarked for social services, followed by economic services with Php829.6 billion or 27.6 percent, general public services with Php517.9 billion or 17.3 percent, debt burden with Php419.3 billion and defense with Php129.1 billion.
As mandated by the Constitution, the Department of Education (DepEd) got the biggest share with P 411.89 billion, which represented a 28 percent hike from the previous budget. In fact, it is P90 billion more than its P321 billion budget in 2015.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) followed with P382.42 billion. This was followed by the Department of National Defense (DND) with P126.64 billion, the Department of Health (DOH) with P124. 76 billion and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) with P124.26 billion.
