BUDGET Secretary Florencio Abad promised to hold consultations in Cebu and other parts of the country to get inputs for the proposed 2015 national budget, which will be debated in Congress plenary next month.
Abad, who was in Cebu earlier this week, said Malacañang—through the Development Budget Coordinating Committee—set the ceiling for the proposed budget at P2.61 trillion, about 15 percent more than the P2.26 trillion budget for 2014.
Abad said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) directed all government agencies to incorporate into their proposals programs that promote inclusive growth.
“The 2015 budget should sustain the country's economic expansion in a way that reduces poverty and creates more opportunities for people, while mitigating vulnerabilities to disasters,” Abad said.
Focus
He said the 2015 national budget will be focused on social protection, social services, economic expansion, job creation and livelihood development, and climate change and disaster risk reduction.
Abad said social protection and services programs should alleviate poverty. Programs include the Pantawid Pampamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), universal health care, education and manpower program and housing.
He said economic expansion remains a top priority of the Aquino administration, as it is needed to reduce poverty and promote inclusive development.
Under this are agricultural development, research and development, transport infrastructure development, and revival of the manufacturing industry.
Jobs
For job creation and livelihood development, Abad said that the 2015 budget must improve on-the-ground collaboration and pursuing labor-intensive projects.
Under this are the rural-based industries, infrastructure development and grassroots participatory budgeting where the people will identify their needs.
For climate change and disaster risk reduction, Abad said the 2015 budget must improve the resiliency of communities and “build back better” in locations affected by recent calamities. Projects include identification of geo-hazard and climate change impact-prone areas, reconstruction and rehabilitation in calamity-affected areas, improving calamity response and stockpiling of food and relief goods.