MANILA, April 27 – The Department of Budget and Management announced that a total of P16.7 billion will be allocated in the 2017 national budget to implement Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) and the Konkreto at Ayos na Lansangan ang Daan Tungo sa Pangkalahatang Kaunlaran (KALSADA) Program for cities nationwide. 2017 will be the 1st year for KALSADA and the 5th year for BuB for cities.
Of the P16.7 billion, P13.5 billion will be for KALSADA for the upgrading and rehabilitation of city roads while P3.2 billion will be for the implementation of BuB projects. In 2017, the entire funds for KALSADA, and more than half of the funds for BuB will be released directly to cities. The direct fund release is based on the local government unit’s fulfillment of good governance conditions and implementation of public financial management measures.
“With the government expanding key programs such as BuB and KALSADA in the proposed 2017 budget, we support cities’ initiatives to fully achieve their mandates. It is worth noting that upon fulfillment of the performance and good governance criteria, we will release the funds directly to LGUs, which ultimately, will enable them to perform better and be more efficient in delivering public services,” DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.
“In KALSADA, for example, the national government is making a targeted investment to fund the upgrading and rehabilitation of city roads and bridges. We want to make our cities safer and more equipped to cater to the needs of our citizens,” Abad added.
Abad said cities, with the support of national government will complete their City Road Network Development Plans (CRNDP) and lay out a 6-year plan to upgrade and rehabilitate 6,000 km of city roads by 2022. In 2017, this plans to upgrade 500 km of city roads and rehabilitate and improve 200 km of city roads nationwide. The target will be higher the succeeding year at 800 km and 450 km, respectively—bringing it to a peak of 1,250 km in 2018.
As of 2015, a total of 5,874 km of roads remain unpaved in cities, while 9,503 km are paved with 7,508 built on concrete and 1,995 km on asphalt.
Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento called on local government executives to pass a local resolution addressed to their respective representatives in Congress to support the efforts to strengthen LGUs across the country, especially the institutionalization of BuB and KALSADA. The same sentiment is echoed by the League of Cities in the Philippines, headed by Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista. He expressed support and interest in KALSADA as it reshapes budget priorities to focus on social services and allocation to LGUs.
In an earlier statement, League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) secretary-general Edgar Chatto lauded the expansion of KALSADA and expressed LPP’s commitment to support the program. (DBM)