The bicameral committee last week approved a P3.35-trillion budget for 2017, an appropriation described by Senate Finance Committee Chair Loren Legarda as a "compassionate" budget.

"People can’t believe but it’s true because we have resources, we have funds...It’s a compassionate budget. It’s really for the welfare of the Filipino people," she said on ANC's Headstart Monday.

The budget is set to be signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday.

Legarda said previously that the budget for next year is in line with Duterte's 10-point socioeconomic agenda, and she shared the highlights in her interview.

FREE TUITION IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

Legarda noted, as a lawmaker, she had received tons of requests for endorsements for scholarships. "Why should it be that a Filipino child or a Filipino who wants to go to college must know a politician," she said.

With the budget infusion, undergraduate studies in state universities and colleges will be free of tuition.

• READ: Free tuition in SUCs eyed with P8.3-B CHED infusion

"Anyone who is enrolled or will be enrolled in a state university and college, who’s a Filipino citizen should be free in terms of tuition," she said.

P300-million of the P8.3-billion allocation, she added, shall go to the SUCs which offer medical courses.

Also in the 2017 budget for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is an approximate P5-billion allocation for scholarship and student assistance, including Tulong Dunong, a special fund for the indigent.

"That allows scholarships for state universities and colleges and even private educational institutions as long as they apply and go through the process," explained Legarda.

However, the Senate is leaving the accomplishment of the implementing rules and regulations to CHED.

"Itong mga operationalization, how to avail of it, nasa eskwelahan yan kung papaano. What we’re saying is we provided the funds. CHED should now talk to the SUCs, how much should be downloaded per SUCs depending on the number of students enrolled and projected to enroll, how much is their tuition," she said.

Legarda believes, this kind of allocation is "very sustainable" and is a practical allotment from a P3.35-trillion budget as it would be an investment for the youth of the country.

For 2018, she added, she hopes that the budget would also cover miscellaneous fees, dormitory expenses, and food and transportation allowances for the indigent.

FREE HEALTHCARE

Although the Universal Healthcare Law had long been passed, Legarda lamented that the law which she authored had not been implemented, allegedly due to a lack of funding.

"Ang parating sinasabi, kulang ng pondo, walang pondo. Kaya naman pala e," she said.

She added, there are approximately 8 million Filipinos who are not enrolled with the Philhealth as most of them are poor.

With this allocation, it should cover basic healthcare coverage for all when availed in state-owned hospitals.

• READ: Poor Pinoys to get free hospitalization, medicines

"No balance billing. It should always be free, and they should bill government, not the person," emphasized Legarda.

She said, there may be some ailments, like cancer, which may not be completely free, but if the patient is indigent, "kailangang gawan ng paraan na masakop ‘yan."

"Those are things that would have to be worked out by Philhealth with either the regional or specialty hospitals, or the provincial hospitals

Legarda vowed, should the 2017 allocation prove to be insufficient, she will discuss an increase for the following year.

"If the the P3-billion is not enough and it’s only point of care or sa emergency, but I will discuss for 2018 budget, for those at least in the 4Ps families or the poor and the near-poor, how much would it cost to include all kinds of diseases. I’d like to cover that," she said.

FREE IRRIGATION FOR FARMERS

At the moment, farmers pay the National Irrigation Administration dues for the agency's operational expenses.

Legarda asserted, with the additional funding government would be providing the government-owned and controlled corporation the subsidy so that it would not need to mete payments from the farmers.

"Why do you make the farmers, who feed the nation, pay for the irrigation they need to till their land and to grow the produce needed to feed the people? That is not fair," she said.

Legarda also maintained, however, that irrigation would only be one of the problems of Filipino farmers, most of whom are the poor, but is already a big step.

BONUS:

"Chalk Allowance" for public school teachers: P770-million

Although the name says "chalk," Legarda said this is not merely for the purchase of enamel chalk, but a general allowance for the teachers.

Lending for small enterprises: P1-billion

Legarda revealed, this allocation was requested by Malacañang and the Department of Trade in Industry, believing in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Law and the "power of providing capital assistance to micro-enterprises."

The additional funding would go to the little-known government agency called the "Small Business Corporation," which is mandated to lend money to micro-enterprises at 0-1% interest rate.

Legarda said, the P1-billion allocation is actually small compared to President Duterte's goal of providing P1-billion per region for this purpose.

Additional funding for jail and prison: P551-million

The 2017 budget also allotted P388-million for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology which is under the Interior and Local Government Department, and another P163-million for the Bureau of Corrections which is under the Justice Department.

This would mean a P10 increase for the prisoners' food allowance, currently pegged at P50.

At P60, it would still be P20 short of the ideal P80 daily food allowance of the residents of the prison facilities.

Drug rehabilitation: P2.6-billion

This allocation shall go to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, according to Legarda.

Additionally, the Department of Health is also mandated to run the drug rehabilitation centers for the drug addicts. It shall cover the needs for therapists and psychosocial therapists.