The government has released 94.5 percent of the 2017 national budget during the first 11 months, almost the same pace as a year ago, the latest Department of Budget and Management data showed.
From January to November, P3.17 trillion of the P3.35-trillion budget was released, including continuing appropriations under the 2016 national budget as well as unprogrammed and other automatic appropriations.
Last year, 94.6 percent or P2.84 trillion of the P3-trillion 2016 budget was released as of end-November.
The rate that the government released this year’s budget improved in November after months of lagging behind a year ago levels.
For funds under the 2017 general appropriations act, allotment releases reached P2.19 trillion during the 11-month period or 90 percent of the P2.43-trillion program.
Comprehensive releases to government departments as of November amounted to P1.89 trillion or 96 percent of the programmed P1.96 trillion.
As for special purpose funds, P302.2 billion or 64.7 percent of the P466.8 billion allotted for 2017 have been released.
Automatic appropriations—programmed over a period prescribed by law through outstanding legislation requiring periodic action by Congress—worth P891.4 billion or 97.1 percent of the P918-billion program for this year were released during the first 11 months.
These automatic appropriations included retirement and life insurance premium, internal revenue allotment for local government units, pensions of former presidents and their widows, special account in the general fund (including motor vehicle users charge fund), net lending, interest payments, as well as releases under the tax expenditures fund for customs duties and taxes to be paid for government importation.
A balance of P183.6 billion must still be released before the end of the year.
The budgets released will be obligated by agencies for specific projects. Upon award of the projects, the allotted amounts will be disbursed for payments to contractors and suppliers. —BEN O. DE VERA