The DPWH’s proposed regional budget was the second highest, as the Department of Education (DepEd), which was in the first batch approved by the RDC, had proposed P45.15 billion.
In its full council meeting, the RDC, chaired by Bulacan Gov. Willy Sy-Alvarado, approved the second batch of budget proposals for possible inclusion in the 2016 national budget to be submitted by Malacanang for congressional approval.
Apart from DPWH, the other agencies in the second batch endorsed by Central Luzon’s RDC included the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with its P5.79 billion budget proposal, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) with P3.05 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) with P2.04 billion, the NIA Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System with P2.19 billion, and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) with P515.09 million.
Also approved in the second batch were the proposals of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) with P127.44 million, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) with P354.61 million, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) with P79.99 million, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) with P147.01 million, and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) with P3.5 million.
“The review and endorsement to the national government of the annual budgets of the these agency regional offices and special development authorities is pursuant to Section 4.d of Executive Order 325 of former President Fidel Ramos,” RDC Vice Chairman and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Severino Santos said.
“Such review of RDC was mandated to ensure transparency as well as consistency of the utilization of funds to the development goals,” he added.
