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Senate passes P4.5-T 2021 national budget; zeroes in on COVID-19 response

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<p><br>MANILA (UPDATE) - The Senate on Thursday passed on final reading the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget, with the "single-minded focus on restarting the economy" in the wake of recent calamities and the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>All 22 senators present in plenary voted in favor of passing the 2021 General Appropriations Bill a month ahead of the year-end deadline before the current spending law expires.</p><p>"Hopefully, inside the line items of this budget, our people see that indeed there is a path out of this pandemic and recession and that we are not without hope," Senate Committee on Finance chair Sen. Sonny Angara said in plenary.</p><p>Among the amendments the Senate included in the 2021 spending bill are as follows:<br><strong> HEALTH</strong></p><ul>	<li> increased funding for COVID-19 vaccines</li>	<li> funding for continued contact tracing operations</li>	<li> increased funding for the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)</li>	<li> additions to the budgets of regional public hospitals to allow them to increase bed capacity and upgrade equipment and facilities</li>	<li> funding for medical assistance to indigent patients</li>	<li> increases towards the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (heart disease, stroke, cancer and mental health conditions)</li>	<li> funding to strengthen medical schools</li></ul><div><strong>ENERGY</strong></div><ul>	<li> increased funding for the Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund (ECERF)</li></ul><div><strong>SOCIAL WELFARE</strong></div><ul>	<li> increased funding for the Department of Social Welfare and Development's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program</li>	<li> funding to speed up the rollout of the National ID System</li></ul><div><strong>AGRICULTURE</strong></div><ul>	<li> funding for cacao or coffee planting and processing equipment in 22 coconut-producing areas</li>	<li> funding for a dairy goat project</li>	<li> increased funding for the titling of agricultural land</li></ul><div><strong> TOURISM</strong></div><ul>	<li> funding to mount the World Championship of the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) in Cebu City</li></ul><div><strong> INFRASTRUCTURE</strong></div><ul>	<li> funding for the repair of airports, ports, bridges and other infrastructure damaged by typhoons and landslides</li></ul><div><strong>LABOR</strong></div><ul>	<li> additional funding for cash aid for displaced workers</li>	<li> additional funding for the government internship program </li>	<li> additional funding for scholarship programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)</li></ul><div><strong>TRADE AND INDUSTRY</strong><br> </div><ul>	<li> provision mandating government to procure relief and feeding program items directly from farmers, fisherfolk and cooperatives</li></ul><div><strong>LOCAL GOVERNMENT</strong></div><ul>	<li> wider coverage of the Financial Assistance to LGUs to allow them to fund "assistance programs and projects for education, health, and social protection in light of the COVID-19 pandemic"</li></ul><div><strong>EDUCATION</strong></div><ul>	<li> increased funding for equipment to meet printing requirements for class modules</li>	<li> funding for solar panels for schools</li>	<li> funding to construct more National Child Development Centers (NCDCs)</li>	<li> increased funding for the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) system</li>	<li> transportation and teaching aid allowance for Alternative Learning System (ALS) teachers</li>	<li> funding for the development, reproduction, and delivery of learning modules</li>	<li> funding for quality assurance of learning modules</li>	<li> additional funding for Commission on Higher Education scholarships</li></ul><div><strong> TRANSPORTATION</strong></div><ul>	<li> funding for enforcement of health protocols in transport terminals</li>	<li> funding for inclusion of active forms of transportation</li>	<li> funding for the construction and repair of facilities that would make establishments more accessible to senior citizens and Persons with Disabilities</li></ul><div><strong> PEACE AND ORDER</strong></div><ul>	<li> initial funding for the establishment of the Philippine Judicial Marshal Service</li>	<li> higher operational budget for the Philippine National Police Maritime group</li>	<li> additional budget for the upgrade of the ICT capabilities of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Division</li>	<li> increased funding for the PNP Internal Affairs Service</li>	<li> increased funding for the Commission on Human Rights</li></ul><div><strong> ARTS, CULTURE, SPORTS</strong></div><ul>	<li> funding for the Asia Pacific Performing Arts Network (APPAN)</li>	<li> increased funding for trainings, seminars, and workshops for certain sports like bowling and arnis</li>	<li> increased training budgets of national athletes competing in international competitions such as the Olympics and the Southeast Asian Games</li></ul><p>"Bagaman may pagbabago tayong isinasagawa, nananatili pa rin ang<br>adhikain... na ang pambansang badyet ay badyet ng pagbangon, ang<br>pinaka-stratehiya natin para umahon mula sa bigat at hirap ng nakaraang taon," Angara said.</p><p>(While changes were made, the goal of making our budget a budget for rebuilding remains as our main strategy to rise from last year's challenges.)</p><p>"The amendments we propose demonstrate that we are doubling-down on our commitment to respond more effectively to the pandemic, on our motivation to help more of our people struck by calamity, and our single-minded focus on restarting the economy," he said.</p><p>The bicameral conference hearing to settle different provisions espoused by the Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to begin next week.</p><p>Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said that Congress hopes to submit the 2021 spending bill for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature before the legislative branch goes on a break by mid-December.</p><div><strong> FROM THE ARCHIVES: </strong></div><figure class='op-interactive'><iframe height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gWDDn5_n3g?enablejsapi=1' width='560'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more in <a href='//www.iwantv.com.ph/'>iWantv</a> or <a href='//tfc.tv/'>TFC.tv</a></div><div> </div>

<p>The Senate on Thursday passed on final reading the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget, with the "single-minded focus on restarting the economy" despite recent calamities and the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>

The Senate on Thursday passed on final reading the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget, with the "single-minded focus on restarting the economy" despite recent calamities and the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate passes P4.5-T 2021 national budget; zeroes in on COVID-19 response

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Senate passes P4.5-T 2021 national budget; zeroes in on COVID-19 response

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 26, 2020 11:52 AM PHT

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Updated November 26, 2020 02:20 PM PHT

Read More:

2021 budget

Senate

COVID-19

global pandemic

COVID-19 vaccine

Sonny Angara

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