DBM budget for 2024 hurdles Senate scrutiny
The
Senate moved to consider the proposed budget of the Department of Budget and
Management (DBM) and the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) amounting
to around P2.5 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2024, as it hurdled plenary debate
and interpellations on 08 November 2023.
“There
being no other reservation or interpellation, I move to that we close the
period of interpellation and consider the budget of the Department of Budget
and Management Office of the Secretary, Government Procurement Policy Board
(GPPB) – Technical Support Office, to be deemed submitted for the Body’s
consideration,” majority floor leader Senator Joel Villanueva pronounced.
DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, who was
present during the Senate deliberations, expressed gratitude towards the
honorable members of the Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Juan
Miguel Zubiri, for considering the proposed budget of the Agency.
“My endless appreciation and gratitude to the
Senate, led by Senate President Migs Zubiri, and also to Finance Committee
Chairperson Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara for sponsoring and leading the
plenary deliberations of the FY 2024 General Appropriations Bill at the Senate
today. Taos-puso po ang aming pasasalamat sa lahat ng bumubuo ng Senado sa
pag-apruba ng budget ng DBM at ng aming mga attached agencies para sa susunod
na taon,” Secretary Pangandaman said.
Senator Angara, in his sponsorship speech
delivered on 07 November 2023, emphasized
that the national budget constitutes more than a fiscal
repository or a numerical table.
"It is a toolbox for development. It funds
our nation's progress, turns our collective dreams into reality and our
people's hopes into happiness. It is the yearly embodiment of our shared
commitment to building a better, more prosperous, more nurturing, and more humane
Philippines," Senator Angara said.
Meanwhile, Secretary Pangandaman conveyed her
gratitude to the officers and employees of DBM who poured in the much needed
efforts to prepare the budget.
“This will not be possible without the
dedication, sacrifice, and hard work of the men and women of DBM, who endured
sleepless nights, lengthy meetings, endless discussions and reviews, just to
ensure that everything in our budget is well thought of and responsive to the
needs of our people,” she said.
Further,
Pangandaman reiterated the DBM's commitment to ensuring the Filipino people
gain maximum benefit from their taxes, and supporting programs and initiatives
geared towards the achievement of the administration’s Agenda for Prosperity.
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno,
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila Jr., were also in full
force as Finance Committee Chair Senator Sonny Angara defended the proposed
2024 budget of the national government as well as its general principles.
Legarda expresses support for OGP
After approving the general principles of the
proposed national budget, as well as the budget of the DBM, Senate President
Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, in a manifestation, vocally supported the Open
Government Partnership (OGP) initiative, which was institutionalized by virtue
of Executive Order No. 31 signed by no less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos,
Jr..
“This [OGP] means that all branches of
government, despite being independent of each other, will now work closely to
synchronize and complement our open government initiatives. This will pave the
way for increased transparency, accountability, and public participation at all
levels of government,” Legarda said.
Senator Legarda also lauded the efforts of
Secretary Amenah Pangandaman that led to the institutionalization of the OGP,
considering it as a clear endorsement of the DBM’s commitment to ensuring
governmental accountability.
"I
congratulate our budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, chairman of the
Philippine Open Government Partnership for proposing this institionalization of
OGP to the President. This is a testament to the commitment to government
accountability... The DBM has been performing very well in what is called the
Open Budget process, and this means all budget documents... are made available
to the public on the DBM website," Senator Legarda stressed.
(DBM/PIA-Caraga)
