Marcos puts several items in 2024 budget under conditional implementation
by RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News · ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has placed several items in the 2024 General Appropriations Act under conditional implementation.
The chief executive imposed conditions on the implementation of provisions concerning receipts and revenues collected by agencies. This affects 2 items under the Department of Justice.
The first prioritizes the use of funds from the sale of agro-industrial products for the allowance to inmates working in agricultural or industrial projects and the purchase of additional supplies and equipment, among others.
Meanwhile, Marcos said the reimbursement of travel expenses incurred by Filipino passengers who were deferred or denied boarding without a court order — charged to a special trust fund account — shall be subject to the guidelines to be issued by the immigration bureau, Commission on Audit, and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
QUICK RESPONSE FUNDS
The President also imposed conditions on the quick response funds under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH).
In the case of the DSWD, priority shall be given to quick rehabilitation and relief of communities affected by the more recent calamities, epidemics, crises and other catastrophes.
Meanwhile, funding requirements for the prepositioning of medicines, hygiene kits, and medical supplies and equipment shall be charged against the DOH’s regular budget.
DOTR, DEPED
Engineering and administrative overhead (EAO) expenses under the education and transport departments were also placed under conditional implementation.
The Department of Education's EAO expenses shall be in accordance with the four-year public works and highways infrastructure program and other relevant rules and regulations.
The DOTr, on the other hand, is required to ensure that overhead and administrative costs for PUV modernization are directly related or incidental to the program.
JUDICIARY MOOE
The maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of the judiciary, specifically Special Provision 7 of the Supreme Court and other lower courts, is also under conditional implementation.
“I am confident that the SC shall continuously ensure the equitable allocation and prompt release of the MOOE allocations to the lower courts for the efficient administration of justice,” the President said.
DPWH, DOLE PROJECTS
National programs and projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) were also placed under conditional implementation.
Special provision 6 concerning the basic infrastructure program under the DPWH Office of the Secretary shall be implemented in accordance with the Local Government Code and other pertinent rule.
Special Provision 1 under the DOLE Office of the Secretary concerning the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers Program (TUPAD) and Government Internship Program shall be implemented subject to the guidelines to be issued by the labor department.
PENSION, RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Meantime, the Commission on Audit must validate the list of claimants who will benefit from Item A-IV of the Pension and Gratuity Fund Special Provision 1 covering the arrears for the period during which the military veterans were entitled to the total administrative pension only. This is under a law that amends the benefits for military veterans and their benefits.
The budget also requires the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation or IBC to submit to the requirements and review of the Governance Commission for Government Owned and Controlled Corporations its sue of the subsidy for the payment of retirement benefits from 2002 to 2024.
FOREIGN LOANS, REMINDERS FOR AGENCIES
Marcos added that he is not limited from negotiating other foreign loan agreements even if Congress identified specific foreign assisted projects under the Unprogrammed Appropriations Special Provision 5 concerning support to foreign assisted projects.
He also issued reminders for agencies in their implementation of other items in the budget. He reminded Congress to abide by the constitutional prohibition on the payment of additional compensation in implementing a special provision concerning their organizational structure.
The President also made it clear that the executive is not precluded from exercising “judicious programming of funds” based on actual collections and utilization of the Special Accounts in the General Fund under several agencies.
CASH PROGRAMMING
Lastly, the President also emphasized that increases in appropriations and new budgetary items introduced by Congress in the budget shall be subject to the national government’s cash programming, fiscal management and applicable budget rules.
Before approving the budget, Congress had a net realignment of over P449 billion in the budget, representing over P1 trillion in increases and over P564 billion in decreases to some items in the budget.
“Considering that increases and reductions in appropriations, and new budgetary items introduced by Congress in this Act will have corresponding effects on the outputs and outcomes of the agencies concerned, said agencies shall ensure that their performance targets are revised accordingly and reflected in the relevant budget execution documents submitted to the DBM for monitoring and evaluation,” the President said.
No item in the budget was tagged “for later release”, which in the past affected the implementation of projects initiated by lawmakers.