The House of Representatives has allotted a total of P8 billion for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines next year.
Upon instructions of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, in a news statement, said the small committee of the lower chamber has increased the funding for the Covid-19 vaccines to a total of P8 billion from the original allocation of P2.5 billion in the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
Romualdez said the additional funding for Covid-19 vaccines is included to the P20-billion “institutional amendments” approved by the small committee last Monday.
“This is to support President Rodrigo Duterte’s program to strengthen the country’s health care system. We believe that vaccine plays a very crucial role in keeping the population safe and healthy from the pandemic,” he said.
“We are working diligently to fulfill our constitutional duty of ensuring that funding for safe and effective vaccine to control Covid-19 is guaranteed and will be available to Filipinos,” Romualdez added.
The institutional amendments also include P300 million for the implementation of mental health programs; P2 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program; P4-billion budget allocation for the Tulong Panghanap Buhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program of the Department of Labor and Employment and P2 billion for the Department of Social and Welfare and Development.
The amendments also include an additional P1.7 billion to fund the Department of Education’s requirement for Internet connection in public schools.
The lawmaker said the soft copy of the House version of the 2021 national budget will be transmitted to the Senate on October 28.
Realign
Meanwhile, Makabayan bloc on Tuesday asked the leadership of the House to realign P641.5 billion in the proposed 2021 P4.5-trillion GAB to address urgently needs in health, education and job creation.
In a 37-page document submitted to the House Committee on Appropriations, the bloc is pushing an additional P265.329 billion for health, P199.2 billion for economic stimulus, and P174.978 billion for education.
It also pushed for additional funding for health, which includes the restoration of budgets cut from the Department of Health (DOH) and government-owned hospitals; free mass testing and treatment for Covid-19; free health services in all public hospitals; expansion of public health facilities; salary adjustments and additional for nurses; procurement of personal protective equipment; and local vaccine development.
For education, the bloc proposed additional maintenance and operating funds for public elementary and secondary schools; provision for devices and Internet allowance for teachers; hiring of community teachers to aid in modular learning; additional funding for higher education and state universities and colleges.
The bloc also proposed funding for unemployment benefits; wage subsidies for micro, small and medium enterprises; financial aid for jeepney and bus drivers and displaced overseas Filipino workers; production subsidies for farmers and fisherfolk; and additional funds to purchase locally produced rice.
The Makabayan bloc also sought to amend the meaning of savings as the executive proposed to allow the President to realign, reallocate or reprogram any provision in the General Appropriations Act.