IGINIIT ng  Department of Budget and Management (DBM) na walang iregularidad sa ₱588.1 billion unprogrammed appropriations sa ilalim ng panukalang  ₱5.268-trillion budget para sa taong  2023  sa gitna ng pagkabahala ng mga mambabatas.

“Details of these unprogrammed appropriations (UA) are available for public and Congress scrutiny,”  ayon sa DBM.

Nauna rito, sinabi ni Deputy Speaker at 6th District Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto na dapat umanong linawin ang P588 bilyong ‘shades of grey’ sa panukalang 2023 national budget ng pamahalaan.

Marami aniya ang ‘unprogrammed fund bloats’ sa actual na panukalang pondo na aabot sa kalahating trilyon o ang tinagurian nitong P588 bilyong ‘shades of grey’ na dapat mai-itemized.

“The proposed national budget for 2023 is actually P5.856 trillion, or P588 billion bigger than the oft-quoted P5.268 trillion,” ayon kay Recto na sinabing ang spending amount na hinihingi ng Palasyo ay karagdagang kalahating trilyon pa na kaniyang nabusisi sa Unprogrammed Appropriations sa bahagi ng 2023 National Expenditures Program (NEP).

Nitong Biyernes ay sinimulan na ng Kamara ang deliberasyon sa masusing pagbusisi sa P5.268 trilyong 2023 NEP ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“It is more than double the current year’s P251.7 billion unprogrammed fund,” ani Recto na sinabing kulang sa detalye ang P588 bilyon ‘shades of grey’ na dapat linawin ng economic team ng pamahalaan.

Kabilang sa hindi malinaw ang “Support to Foreign Assisted Projects” na nagkakahalaga ng P380.6 billion.

Gayundin ang P149.7 bilyon para sa “Support for Infrastructure Projects and Social Programs.”

Sa ipinalabas na kalatas ng DBM, ipinaliwanag nito na “Support to foreign-assisted projects will be getting the biggest share at ₱380 billion, where ₱378.2 billion will head to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) while the remaining ₱2.2 billion was assigned to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.”

“Next is the support for infrastructure projects and social programs at ₱149.6 billion, which includes ₱22 billion for procurement of vaccines,” ayon pa rin sa DBM.

Naglaan din ang DBM ng ₱20.6 billion para sa  budgetary support sa  government-owned and/or controlled corporations.

May  ₱18.9 billion naman ang nakatabi para sa  public health emergency benefits at allowance para sa  health at non-healthcare workers.

Ayon sa DBM,  ₱10 bilyong piso ang mapupunta sa equity infusion ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) alinsunod sa Republic Act 11211 o New Central Bank Act, at ₱5 bilyong piso para sa  modernization program ng  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Naglaan din ang DBM  ng ₱2 bilyong piso para sa pagbabayad ng arrears sa  Land Transportation Office IT service.

“UA include ₱1 billion for the Risk Management Program. This will be used for commitments made by, and obligations of, the government in agreements covering public-private partnership projects, base sa nakalipas na budget.

“Also listed are ₱210.5 million for the refund of the service development fee for the right to develop the Nampeidai property in Tokyo, Japan, along with ₱14 million in prior years’ local government unit shares,” ayon sa kalatas ng DBM.

“In the 2023 national expenditures program, 11.2 percent (₱588.1 billion) is the percentage of unprogrammed appropriations to total obligations budget. However, this already includes the estimated ₱378.2 billion for loan proceeds requirements of the Department of Transportation (DOTr),”  ang nakasaad pa rin sa kalatas ng DBM.

Dahil dito, iginiit ng departamento na ang natitirang ₱200-billion ay maikukunsiderang unprogrammed.

“Thus, should this be removed, only approximately ₱200 billion, or 4 percent, is considered unprogrammed, which will be triggered for release only upon the generation of additional revenues,” ayon sa  DBM.  (Daris Jose)