Government studying supplemental budget request to Congress

MANILA, Philippines — The government is studying whether to ask Congress for a supplemental budget for the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT) program, a Palace official said yesterday, after the administration expressed its intent to tap the Asian Development Bank (ADB) instead for funding the aid.

“The DBM (Department of Budget and Management) is studying this for now – based on my last discussion with them – if this is still necessary,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.  

President Marcos established UPLIFT through Executive Order 110 last March in response to mitigate the impact of rising oil prices amid the Middle East conflict.

Finance Secretary Frederick Go earlier said the Philippine government has expressed its intent to tap ADB’s counter-cyclical support facility in the amount of up to $1.5 billion to provide additional funding to support the response measures under the UPLIFT Framework.