The Duterte administration yesterday presented to the House of Representatives its first full year national budget of P3.35 trillion for 2017 that retained human resources and social development as top priorities.
Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno turned over the national budget proposal to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez who immediately directed the House Committee on Appropriations to start the budget process in the legislative department.
Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said budget hearings will start Monday.
Government expects to raise at least P2.48 billion from tax, non-tax revenues and privatization and incur gross borrowing of R631.3 billion next year.
Human empowerment which will cover the Departments of Social Welfare, Education, Labor and Employment and Health will get 40 percent of the budget pie, while economic services gets 27.6 percent.
General public services, that includes police and fire services, and national defense will receive 22 percent.
“We have proposed that P355.7 billion of the budget for infrastructure be spent for fixing and building road networks, seaports, systems and airport system. The infrastructure outlays in 2017 is equivalent to 5.4 percent of the GDP,” Diokno said. (Ben Rosario)