MANILA -- The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allocated around P206.50 billion of ‘ayuda’ in the form of cash transfers and subsidy programs under the 2023 proposed national budget to help mitigate the impact of rising prices of basic commodities and fuel costs to the society’s most vulnerable sectors.

This is in adherence to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s marching order to care for the poor, especially for the victims of calamities and other crises, and amid the challenges caused by inflation.

“We must not neglect the poorest of the poor. As I said in my SONA, we will continue to care for our countrymen who are in dire poverty. We will not neglect them” the President stated in his Budget Message.

On the part of the DBM, Budget Secretary Pangandaman made sure that “the proposed 2023 national budget is crafted to withstand future risks, challenges, and shocks.”

“We feel and understand the plight of our kababayans as we face the unfortunate impacts of the inflation due to several factors that some are beyond our control,” DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.

The P206.50 billion of ‘ayuda’ in the form of cash transfers and subsidy programs will be earmarked to various national government agencies.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be provided with P165.40 billion for the implementation of its several social assistance programs.

The Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, will be provided with P22.39 billion for the implementation of the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients (MAIP) to provide financial support to 1.6 million indigent and financially incapacitated Filipinos who are unable to afford and access quality medical care.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be provided with P14.9 billion for its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will be provided with P2.5 billion for the provision of fuel subsidies to our public transport drivers amid the increasing fuel prices.

Finally, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be provided with P1.00 billion for the provision of fuel assistance to corn farmers and fisherfolk. Of this amount, P510.4 million will be for corn farmers, while P489.6 million will be for fisherfolk.

“We will continue prioritizing the implementation of existing programs geared to provide targeted subsidies and assistance to the most vulnerable sectors and we are hopeful that these interventions would effectively balance our need to sustain our growth momentum while cushioning the impact of the global inflation,” Secretary Pangandaman added.

Specific programs under the 2023 NEP which aim to improve the condition of average Filipinos amid soaring prices include P115.6 billion for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, P25.3 billion Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, P19.9 billion for Protective Services for Individuals and Families in Difficult Circumstances, and P4.4 billion for Sustainable Livelihood Program.

In the field of education, the DBM has allocated a combined amount of P47.4 billion to subsidize higher and technical-vocational education under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) Program, wherein P25.8 billion will come from the budget of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), some P18.7 billion was included in the budget of the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and the remaining P2.9 Billion will be lodged under the budget of the Technical Education and Skills Authority.

The 2023 proposed national budget likewise provides for education assistance and subsidies amounting to P54.9 billion. This will cover the P39.3 billion for the Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program, P12.5 billion for the Education Service Contracting (ESC) for Junior High School, P1.5 billion for the Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs), P1.4 billion for the Joint Delivery Voucher for SHS TVL Specialization, and P200 million for the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA).

Meanwhile, P100.2 billion has been allocated for the implementation of the National Health Insurance Program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to ensure affordable and inclusive healthcare. Of this amount, P79.0 billion will be used to subsidize the health insurance premiums of 12.75 million indigent families identified under the National Household Targeting System of the DSWD and 99,800 financially-incapable point-of-service patients, as well as 143,424 unemployed persons with disability. This will also cover around 8 million senior citizens pursuant to the Act Providing for the Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage for All Senior Citizens (R.A. No. 10645).

The DBM also seeks to continue helping assist the country’s healthcare workers as it has set aside P1.0 billion for the COVID-19 compensation package that will cover an estimated 65,293 healthcare workers and P19.0 billion for the public health emergency benefits and allowances of 526,727 healthcare workers.

“We hope that these efforts will help ease the burden of our fellow Filipinos. The welfare of our kababayans most in need remains the top priority of the Marcos Jr. administration, especially during these trying times. We hope that it will assure them that their government is right here on top of the situation,” Pangandaman said. (DBM)