House approves P22.5-billion supplemental budget for 2015
House of Representatives. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading the P22.5-billion supplemental budget for 2015.
The lower chamber approved the supplemental bill with 183 votes, 12 against and zero abstentions. The House approved the budget immediately after it was approved on second reading by voting by voice.
In its final version, at least P70.169 million of the supplemental budget was realigned to fund the expenses of the House ad hoc committee consultations over the Bangsamoro basic bill, as well as the printing of the 2015 General Appropriations Bill, which was ratified by Congress on Monday.
To fund the Bangsamoro basic bill consultations, the chamber realigned funds from the emergency shelter assistance for victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.” It went down to P2.09 billion from P2.16 billion.
The budget for the rehabilitation of Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 also went down to P727.69 million from P977.69 million.
Meanwhile, more funds were realigned for the rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit 3, increasing the budget to P1.207 billion from P957.163 million.
After being amended, P10.09 billion of the budget was allotted for Yolanda victims. Besides the emergency shelter assistance, at least P7.99 billion was earmarked for the construction of permanent housing.
The next biggest allotment is P2.8 billion for the operational transformation plan of the Philippine National Police, under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
This is followed by the P1.9-billion allotment for the upgrading of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and another P1.9 billion for the obligations arising from implemented infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The rest of the supplemental budget is broken down as follows:
P803.380 million – Additional capital outlay and maintenance and other operating expenses for implementation of the Treasury single account P350 million – Construction of the new Bohol Provincial Capitol to replace condemned building P340.345 million – Coconut Scale Insect Emergency Action Plan P300 million – Digi eFund-ICT Hardware for Government P286.702 million – Implementation of the North Triangle relocation project P250 million – Completion of the Legislative Library and Archives Building/Congressional E-Library P240 million – Completion of the development assistance to Quezon province P210 million – Retrofitting of the Presidential Management Staff Office Building P199.167 million – Transition investment support plan for the ARMM procurement of 33 fire trucks P196.385 million – Construction of fishport, lighthouses and seawalls P178 million – Closure of the San Mateo Sanitary Landfill P117 million – Construction of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport VIP Lounge Building P100.407 million – Budgetary shortfall for transaction fees and charges as a result of the implementation of the treasury single account P40 million – Provision of rent of office space during pendency of construction of Philippine Institute for Development Studies new building P32.6 million – Installation of the 10 megavolt amperes substation in Sto. Domingo, Albay P32.224 million – Phase 2 of the renovation of the Department of Finance-Office of Secretary property P11.176 million – Hiring of new 294 former rebels as forest guards under the National Greening Program P5.2 million – Transfer of Quezon City Prosecutors and Public Attorney’s Office
The Department of Budget and Management initially asked the House of Representatives for P23.34 billion in supplemental budget but this was slashed to P22 billion after taking out P1.3 billion in additional funds for the hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit.
The supplemental budget will also fund projects that were stalled after the Supreme Court struck down the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and some practices under the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
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