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Tolentino questions budget allocation for NCR: 'Bakit naiwan ulit ang ibang regions?'

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Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Sen Francis “Tol" Tolentino="" seeks="" clarification="" from="" the="" financial="" managers="" as="" to="" why="" National="" Capital="" Region="" always="" gets="" biggest="" share="" of="" national="" budget="" amid="" efforts="" reduce="" gap="" between="" various="" regions.="" Bibo="" Nueva="" España="" Senate="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/11/09/20220824-building-skyline-construction-gc-27.jpg"/><figcaption>Sen Francis “Tol&quot; Tolentino seeks clarification from the country’s financial managers as to why the National Capital Region always gets the biggest share of the national budget amid efforts to reduce the gap between the various regions.<em> Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Francis Tolentino on Wednesday questioned the basis for the budget allocation for the National Capital Region (NCR) in 2023, which represents nearly a fifth of the country&#x27;s P5.268 trillion budget next year, raising concerns that other regions are being left behind. </p><p>&quot;We have a regional allocation of expenditure programs, ang nakita ko lang dito is NCR is set to receive the highest allocation still representing 18.8 percent of the budget amounting to almost P989 billion,&quot; Tolentino said.</p><p>The senator then asked for the Department of Budget and Management&#x27;s basis for the regional allocation, considering that the government has been pushing for development of areas outside Metro Manila. </p><p>&quot;Sa dinami-dami ng pagpaplano at programa na maisaayos ang gap between the various regions, naiwan ulit &#x27;yung ibang region,&quot; he lamented. </p><p>(Despite the numerous plans and programs to curb the gap between the various regions, other regions were still left behind.)</p><p>Senate Finance panel chairman Sen. Sonny Angara, who was tasked to defend the proposed budget, cited the location of the government&#x27;s central offices as one of the reasons for the disparity. </p><p>&quot;In terms of total budget, this also includes personnel services. I think one factor there is the location all the central offices of government agencies in NCR,&quot; Angara said.</p><p>Angara noted that the past administration tried to relocate some government agencies in Clark, Pampanga and other areas to address such concerns. </p><p>&quot;But you are correct that there is a need perhaps to equalize and redistribute resources so there is some equity,&quot; Angara admitted.</p><p>The Senate&#x27;s plenary deliberations of the proposed General Appropriations Act for 2022 kicked off Wednesday. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/08/22/proposed-2023-budget-reaches-senate-plenary-debates-to-kick-off-wednesday">Proposed 2023 budget reaches Senate plenary; debates to kick off Wednesday</a></li></ul><p>Both houses of Congress intend to present the bicameral-approved budget to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on the second week of December, hoping that he will sign it into law before Christmas. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2334273" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Sen. Francis Tolentino asked for the Department of Budget and Management's basis for the regional allocation. 

Tolentino questions budget allocation for NCR: 'Bakit naiwan ulit ang ibang regions?'

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Tolentino questions budget allocation for NCR: 'Bakit naiwan ulit ang ibang regions?'

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 09, 2022 03:57 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

senator

senators

2023 budget

budget hearing

Sonny Angara

Francis Tolentino

NCR

National Capital Region

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