As lawmakers from the Senate and House of Representatives begin making final adjustments to the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday (November 25) listed some programs where additional funds could be allotted.
In a statement, Cayetano said the budgets for irrigation and farm to market roads should be increased.
So far, P991.11 million has been allotted to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for irrigation, while the construction of farm to market roads has a proposed allocation of P13.14 billion.
Cayetano said the Department of Public Works and Highways’ 2023 budget should be spent more on “new road networks, roads and bridges, as well as community centers and parks” instead of maintenance.
“Kung ia-add natin ang budget for maintenance and rehabilitation, mahigit P200 billion ito, which is almost one third of the DPHW’s P737 billion budget. This is not a ‘Build Better More’ budget but a ‘Maintenance Pa More’ budget,” he said.
Cayetano said the 2023 national budget should be responsive to Filipinos’ needs, particularly as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is democracy at work. Masaya tayo sa Senate version ng budget, pero kailangan ding i-point out na may mga portions na kailangan ng improvement. We are not giving up on these and we will continue advocating for them in the bicam,” he said.
Cayetano is one of those assigned as members of the Senate Bicameral panel, along with Senators Sonny Angara, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, Bato Dela Rosa, Win Gatchalian, Bong Go, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Francis Tolentino, Mark Villar, JV Ejercito, Chiz Escudero, and Jinggoy Estrada.
