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Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - A former finance chief has urged the government to reduce unprogrammed appropriations, just as it called on the budget department to be &quot;proactive in monitoring the utilization of public funds.&quot; <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/19/poe-wants-budget-guarded-in-bicam-after-unprogrammed-funds-issue-1835">Unprogrammed appropriations</a> are standby funds that authorities could use for additional agency obligations or for priority programs or projects, when revenue collection exceeds targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated. In a statement, former Finance Secretary Margarito “Gary” Teves said key priority social and infrastructure projects should already be included in programmed appropriations.   This, as lawmakers look at examining the funds of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) for excess financial resources to fund unprogrammed projects.  Teves, a former DOF secretary under the Arroyo administration, said in 2023 and 2024, <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/1/-super-pork-makabayan-bloc-blasts-unprogrammed-funds-in-proposed-budget-2325">unprogrammed appropriations</a> were at P807.2 billion and P731.4 billion, or 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively, of the government budget. &quot;This is more than double the 5-percent average from 2010-2022,&quot; said Teves.  &quot;Moving crucial social and infrastructure projects from programmed to unprogrammed is not only questionable but also undermines the government’s commitment to inclusive development and fiscal prudence,&quot; he added. Unprogrammed appropriations for the implementation of social and infrastructure-related projects such as upgrading health facilities, training of health professionals, and payment of benefits might be delayed &quot;since there is no definite funding source.”  Because of this, he said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. should convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to identify &quot;priority programs that should strictly remain programmed and budget items that will be placed under unprogrammed.”  The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had said in the past that there is no irregularity in allocating unprogrammed funds, adding that there are “triggers” before they can be released.  Under the 2025 National Expenditure Program, the Marcos Jr. administration’s proposed unprogrammed appropriations total P158.6 billion or 2.5 percent of the P6.532 trillion proposed national budget. This figure is 78.31% lower than the unprogrammed appropriations for the current year, according to the DBM.  Marcos Jr. late last month certified as urgent the general appropriations bill on the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget.

A former finance chief has urged the government to reduce unprogrammed appropriations, just as it called on the budget department to be "proactive in monitoring the utilization of public funds."

A former finance chief has urged the government to reduce unprogrammed appropriations, just as it called on the budget department to be "proactive in monitoring the utilization of public funds."

Ex-DOF chief: Cut unprogrammed appropriations in 2025 budget

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Ex-DOF chief: Cut unprogrammed appropriations in 2025 budget

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 06, 2024 09:37 PM PHT

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2025 budget

Gary Teves

unprogrammed appropriations

national government budget 2025

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