‘Government agencies can use remainder of 2018 budget’

MANILA, Philippines — Government agencies can still use what’s left of their 2018 budgets for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and capital outlay (CO) for priority projects especially in areas hit by calamities recently, Sen. Loren Legarda said yesterday.

Legarda, who chairs the Senate committee on finance, said President Duterte’s signing of Congress’ Joint Resolution No. 3 on Dec. 28 gave the measure the force of law in extending the availability of the MOOE and CO appropriations in the 2018 P3.7-trillion national budget.

She said the joint resolution allows for the continued use of the 2018 budget until end of 2019 “to service more people and communities in need instead of just allowing the (amount) to be reverted to the unappropriated surplus of the general fund.”

The senator said there were appropriations that have not been released and allotments issued that have not been obligated, which would have reverted to the unappropriated surplus of the general fund after Dec. 31, 2018.

“But with the President’s signing of the Joint Resolution, agencies will be able to use what remains of the 2018 budget to fund priority projects as well as for aid and relief activities, and maintenance, construction/repair and rehabilitation of schools, hospitals, roads, bridges and other essential facilities of the national government,” Legarda said.