| President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday signed the P3-trillion General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2016, in simple rites held at Malacañang Palace.In a speech delivered after the signing ceremony at the Rizal Hall, the President thanked the Department of Budget and Management, as well as the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives for approving the national budget, which provides the biggest sectoral allocation to social services.
“Sa araw pong ito, nasaksihan natin ang isa na namang makasaysayang yugto sa ating bansa: ang pagsasabatas ng P3.002 trillion na Pambansang Budget para sa 2016. Sa pagtutulungan ng Ehekutibo, at ng Kongreso, at ng iba’t iba pang institusyon, panibagong rekord na naman ang ating nakamit. Ito po ang ikaanim na sunod na taon na naipasa ang Budget ng Bayan sa tamang oras. Ibig pong sabihin, mula nang maupo tayo hanggang sa huling yugto ng ating termino, hindi tayo sumablay sa pagpapasa ng ating budget on-time. Kaya naman sa lahat ng nanguna at nakibahagi sa pagbuo ng budget na ito, isang taos-pusong pasasalamat po sa inyong lahat,” said the Chief Executive.
President Aquino also expressed his gratitude to the Filipino people for supporting the government policy of good governance.
“Higit sa lahat, maraming salamat sa ating mga Boss, sa patuloy ninyong pakikiambag sa mabuting pamamahala, tungo sa higit na pag-arangkada ng ating bansa. Hindi po nagbabago: Kayo ang gumawa at patuloy na gumagawa ng pagbabago,” he said.
The 2016 national budget, which is 15.2 percent higher than the 2015 budget of P2.606 trillion, is the culmination of the reforms implemented in the past five years of the Aquino administration, with the ultimate goal of fostering inclusive and sustained development.
Social services, which include housing, livelihood and community-driven projects, account for P1.1 trillion or 36.8 percent of the budget, while economic services, which cover such areas as infrastructure, agriculture, transportation and communications, account for P829.6 billion or 27.6 percent.
“Malinaw ang hangad natin: Inclusive growth. Sa paglalaan ng makatwirang pondo sa ating mga ahensiya at programa, nabibigyan ng pagkakataon ang ating mga kababayang makasabay sa pag-angat ng ekonomiya. Isinusulong natin ang masusing konsultasyon upang taumbayan mismo ang magdisenyo ng mga proyektong kailangan nating pondohan,” the President said.
“Alam naman po natin, masusulit lang ang mga bumubukas na pagkakataon kung may sapat na kakayahan ang Pilipinong sagarin ang benepisyong dulot nito. Kaya patuloy ang pagbuhos natin ng pondo sa mga serbisyong panlipunan na nagbibigay-lakas sa ating mga Boss,” he added.
The Department of Education led the top 10 agencies receiving the largest budget, with P436.5 billion, followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (P400.4 billion), Department of National Defense (P175.2 billion), Department of Interior and Local Government (P154.5 billion), Department of Health (P128.5 billion), Department of Social Welfare and Development (P111 billion), Department of Agriculture (P94 billion), Department of Transportation and Communications (P48.5 billion), Department of Finance (P33.2 billion), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (P24.8 billion).
President Aquino said the education budget covers the building of 47,553 classrooms, the purchase of 103.2 million new textbooks, and the hiring of 79,691 teaching and non-teaching personnel.
Of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) budget, P62.7 billion will go to the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) that will benefit 4.6 million households; P4.3 billion for the Supplemental Feeding Program that will cover 2.2 million children in day-care centers; and P8.7 billion for the pension of 1.2 million senior citizens.
“Tuloy-tuloy din ang pagpapaarangkada natin sa ating Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, kung saan naglaan tayo ng P62.7 billion. Ang target nitong bigyang-ayuda sa susunod na taon: 4.6 million na kabahayang benepisyaryo, kabilang na ang mahigit 218,000 na pamilyang Pilipino na hindi naisama sa Listahanan 1 noong 2008-2009. Kasama nga po rito ang mahihirap na indigenous peoples at mga pamilya sa lansangan. Talaga naman pong wala tayong hinayang na magbuhos ng pondo sa ganitong mga programa, lalo pa’t ngayon pa lang, nakikita na natin ang positibong resulta nito. Ayon nga po sa inisyal na pag-aaral ng DSWD, 1.5 million na kabahayan o katumbas ng 7.5 million na Pilipino ang naiangat na lampas sa tinatawag na poverty line dahil sa Pantawid Pamilya,” President Aquino explained.
Included in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget is the construction of flood control facilities, especially in 18 major river basins and principal rivers and watershed, amounting to P64.2 billion.
“Ang budget naman na ipinagkaloob natin sa Department of Public Works and Highways: P400.4 billion. Kabilang sa susuportahan nito ang pagtatapos ng lahat ng national roads at pagpapagawa ng flood control projects upang maibsan ang pinsalang dulot ng pagbaha. Kung ngayong taon nga po, nasa 4 percent ng ating GDP (gross domestic product) ang inilaan natin para sa imprastraktura, sa susunod naman pong taon, target nating ilaan ang 5 percent ng ating GDP sa sektor na ito,” the President said.
To prepare for the effects of climate change, he said, P38.9 billion has been allocated to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund, P19 billion of which will be for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Rehabilitation Program, while P18.9 billion has been proposed to fund the Yolanda Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan and P1 billion for the People’s Survival Fund.
“Nariyan din po ang pagpapatayo natin ng karagdagang evacuation centers at pagsusuri sa kalidad ng mga pampublikong gusali upang matiyak ang kaligtasan ng mga kababayan nating apektado ng sakuna,” President Aquino said.
“Malinaw po na ang buong budget gaya sa imprastraktura ay binubuo gamit ang masusing pag-aaral ng mga suliranin at ng kaakibat nitong wastong solusyon. Ang bawat ipinapatayong kalsada, tulay, daungan, paliparan, paaralan, farm-to-market roads, at iba pang imprastraktura sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa ay bahagi ng ating estratehiya tungo sa malawakang kaunlaran,” he said.
“Tunay po na naglalaan tayo ng pondo sa kung saan may pangangailangan. Ang maganda ay naghahatid tayo ng agarang benepisyo nang walang kaakibat na pabigat sa Pilipino. Sa ating panunungkulan, wala tayong idinagdag na bagong buwis, maliban sa Sin Tax Reform.”
President Aquino noted that his government is giving the next administration the capacity to further the country’s transformation.
“Nakasaad nga po sa mga pahina ng librong ito ang matino at maayos na detalye upang tugunan ang pangangailangan sa susunod na taon. Ang hangad po natin: Huwag nang ipasa sa iba ang minana nating problema,” he said.
Concluding his speech, the Chief Executive said his administration has already laid the foundation for reform.
“Umaasa akong payayabungin ng mga susunod sa atin ang tinatamasa nating malawakang kaunlaran. Ang hamon at panawagan sa bawat isa ay I tuloy natin ang pagtahak sa Daang Matuwid, ipaglaban natin ang tama at makatwiran, at buong-loob na mag-ambagan tungo sa kinabukasan kung saan walang maiiwan,” President Aquino said. PND (jm) |
| In simple rites held three days before Christmas, President Benigno S. Aquino III honored members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation National Organizing Committee (APEC-NOC) for their meritorious services during the country’s successful hosting of the year-long APEC events.
The awarding ceremony took place on Tuesday at Malacañang Palace’s Reception Hall.
Eleven individuals from both the public and private sectors constitute the list of honorees, led by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., chairman of the APEC-NOC, who received the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross (Datu) with gold distinction from the President.
The other awardees from the public sector were:
• Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario (APEC-NOC co-chair) – Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Cross (Bayani);• Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin (APEC-NOC member) – Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross (Datu);
• Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento (APEC-NOC member) – Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross (Datu);
• Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Hernando Iriberri – Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of Commander (Komandante);
• Philippine National Police Chief General Ricardo Marquez (Commander of the National Joint Task Force) – Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of Commander (Komandante); and
• Brigadier General Apolinario Alobba (Deputy Commander of the National Joint Task Force) – Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of Officer (Pinuno)
The honorees from the private sector were:
• Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (Chairperson of the APEC 2015 Private Sector Advisory Council) – Order of Gawad Mabini with the rank of Commander (Dakilang Kasugo);
• Doris Magsaysay-Ho (Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council) – Order of Gawad Mabini with the rank of Commander (Dakilang Kasugo);
• Tony Tan-Caktiong (Chair of the APEC CEO Summit) – Order of Gawad Mabini with the rank of Commander (Dakilang Kasugo); and
• Guillermo Luz (Chief Operating Officer of the APEC CEO Summit) – Presidential Medal of Merit
The Philippines’ hosting of the APEC events began as early as December 2014 and culminated in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held in Manila last month. PND (hdc) |
