DBM reports 42.4% jump in 5-month infra spending of gov’t

Government spending on infrastructure jumped by a fourth to P58.1 billion in May, from P46.2 billion a year ago, according to the Department of Budget and Management.

The amount spent in May, however, was lower than the P65.6 billion disbursed in April.

In a statement, the DBM attributed the jump in spending to projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways—road concreting, widening and improvement; construction of diversion roads and flood control structures, and reconstruction/rehabilitation of roads and bridges.

“The repair and rehabilitation of school buildings of the Department of Education, and acquisition of medical equipment and facilities under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health also contributed to the rise in infrastructure spending,” the DBM added.

From January to May, the government spent P280.8 billion on infrastructure and other capital outlays, up 42.4 percent from P197.2 billion in the first five months of last year.

“We continue to make strides in the fiscal sector of the economy, and this is confirmed by the spending data,” Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said.

The government had programmed to spend P775.4 billion on infrastructure this year. —BEN O. DE VERA