More funds to be poured into infrastructure next year

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration is pouring more funds into infrastructure next year.

Based on agency budget ceilings set by the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will have P189.3 billion for next year. That amount represents an increase of P33.8 billion over this year’s spending level of P155.5 billion.

It would be the biggest increase for a state agency, bigger than the P22.6-billion adjustment the Department of Education (DepEd) will get.

But education will continue to corner the largest share of the annual budget. The DepEd will have P255.2 billion for next year, while state colleges and universities would be allocated P31.9 billion.

Another infrastructure agency, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), will get an additional P1.3 billion, from P34.2 billion this year to P35.5 billion next year.

However, funds for airport projects are not all reflected in the DOTC budget as by law, most of these go to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

The P25-billion annual Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the official name of the congressional pork barrel, is another source of infrastructure funds.

PDAF allots P200 million for each senator and P70 million for each member of the House of Representatives.

The budget law requires each lawmaker to spend half of his or her allocation for “hard” projects like roads, bridges or school buildings. The other half is for “soft” projects like education or medical assistance.

The Department of Finance (DOF) will receive the third largest increase, with its outlay going up by P16 billion, from P11.8 billion to P27.8 billion.

The bulk of the DOF adjustment will go to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), whose funds will jump from P7.5 billion this year to P16.8 billion next year.

The Bureau of Customs will likewise receive a hefty increase, from P2.2 billion this year to P8.9 billion in 2014.

The two bureaus are expected to collect P2.025 trillion next year to support the projected P2.268-trillion 2014 national budget.

This year’s revenue collection target is P1.746 trillion.

Following the DOF in terms of budgetary increase is the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which administers the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.

Its budget will go up from P56.3 billion this year to P66.9 billion in 2014. The department has more than P44 billion this year for cash dole-outs.