MANILA, December 30 (PIA) --President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed Republic Act 11518, otherwise known as 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2021, at the Malacañan Palace on December 28 Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced during a virtual press briefing in Baguio City.
The signing of the GAA is a testament of the active collaboration between the Executive and the Legislative branches of the government especially this time when health and welfare of the people are at stake, despite divisive political differences, Roque said.
Through the GAA, government projects like the Build,Build,Build program will continue. The industry will again come to the fore and will provide support to social services projects. Every centavo will be efficiently spent to ensure economic and nations recovery for the coming year.
One directive emphasized by the President is related to the use of income of some of the departments and government agencies, wherein, as a general rule, all incomes of agencies shall accrue to the general fund of the national government, unless otherwise authorized by a separate substantive law.
“Ibig sabihin lang po nito, dapat lahat ng kinita ng mga ahensya, ay pumasok sa national treasury at kinakailangan ang paggastos nito ay sang-ayon sa national budget.” (This only means that all the incomes of the (government) agencies should go to the national treasury, and expenses should be according to the national budget.), explained Roque.
He stressed the strict implementation of the Cash Budgeting System to ensure the efficient utilization of the public funds and to prevent duplication of funding like the use of infrastructure –related expenses; implementation of financial assistance to local government; implementation of rice subsidy and emergent provision and use of disaster funds.
Meanwhile, other directives of the President are observing the existing laws, policies and regulations of procurement-related provisions; providing allowances and benefits; use of quick response funds; identifying program beneficiaries; building of evacuation centers; implementation of service contracting; and funding foreign-assisted projects, among others.
He reiterated that the national budget is a shared fiscal responsibility as was stated by the Chief Executive. The President urged the Congress that the public fund should be managed effectively and should be based on sound system policies, he added.(ARR/PIA-IDPD)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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