Top 10 Richest Government Agencies Based On the Proposed 2019 Budget

In July, President Rodrigo Duterte submitted his third national budget proposal to the congress worth P3.757-trillion during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

This is the first-ever cash-based budget from the government, and it aims to cater to the compelling need of the Filipinos to expedite public service consignment.

Top 10 Richest Government Agencies Based On the Proposed 2019 Budget

Top priorities: Human capital and infrastructure development 

The top priorities for this year’s national budget allocation are human capital development and public infrastructure.

The administration is working for a 7% to 8% economic growth this 2019, thus the need to place higher investments on infrastructure. Along with this, driving out more job opportunities to the non-urban areas of the country is a top priority.

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On the other hand, the department with the highest budget allocation stays with human capital. This looks into influencing the younger populations of the country.

Under human capital are education, healthcare, and social protection, which all aim to mold future generations of Filipinos into outstanding and competent human resources, to sustain the growth momentum of the Philippines.

Top 10 richest departments

Department

2018 National Budget Allocation 2019 National Budget Allocation

Increase /Decrease

Rank Amount Rank Amount Amount %

Education (CHED, DepEd, SUCs, TESDA)

1

P587.1B

1

P659.3B

+P72.2B

12.3

Public Works (DPWH)

2

P330.2B

2

P555.7B

+P225.5B

68.3

Interior and Local Government (DILG)

3

P172.3B

3

P225.6B

+P53.3B

30.9

Defense (DND)

6

P136.5B

4

P183.4B

+P46.9B

34.4

Social Welfare (DSWD)

4

P164.4B

5

P173.3B

+P8.9B

5.4

Health (DOH)

5

P155.2B

6

P141.4

-P13.8B

-8.9

Transportation (DOTr)

7

P40.2B

7

P76.1B

+P35.9B

89.3

Agriculture (DA)

8

P40.7B

8

P49.8B

+P9.1B

22.4

Judiciary

9

P35.4B

9

P37.3B

+P1.9B

5.4

ARMM

10

P24.4B

10

P32.3B

+P7.9B

32.4

Total

P1,686.4T

P2,134.2T

+P447.8B

26.6

The proposed increase in this year’s national budget amounts to P2,260.2 billion. The departments who belong in the top 10 highest recipients will get the lion’s share, which is 89.8% of the proposed 2019 national budget amounting to P2,030.4 billion.

Education sector to get the highest allocation

Based on the information provided, the education sector will be receiving the highest allocation in the proposed calculation.

Under it and comprising the budget given are the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). These sectors will be receiving the largest budget amounting to P659.3 billion taking up 17.5% of the total budget for 2019.

Compared to their 2018 national budget, these branches acquired an increase of P72.2 billion, earning a total of 12.3% addition from the previous equivalent budget. The increase aims to further accelerate the development of human resources, thus providing greater learning opportunities to all.

New programs to assess the state of basic education

The government allotted P528.8 billion as the budget of the education department for them to fully assess the basic education here in the country.

To do so, here are the programs presented by the department:

  1. Continuous implementation of the recent K to 12 programs of the Department of Education.
  2. Construction of 4,110 classrooms costing P10.2 billion.
  3. Production of 43,200 school chairs for P2.1 billion.
  4. Repair and rehabilitate 33,672 classrooms for P10.5 billion.
  5. Purchasing 1,320 computers and building of science laboratories for P4.0 billion.
  6. Sustain 1,710 schools located in the off-grid areas of the country for P2.7 billion.
  7. For Junior and Senior high school students, however, P1.8 billion is provided for the purchasing of textbooks and instructional materials, P2.1 billion is intended for the procurement of Science and Mathematics equipment, P2.0 billion for technical vocational (tech-voch) equipment, and lastly, P4.0 billion for the funding of their Computerization Program.
  8. For tertiary education, P65.2 billion is allotted for SUCs, P50.4 billion for the CHED, P14.8 billion for TESDA having a total of P130.4 billion for their 2019 budget. An additional P11.0 billion is also given to increase the budget for Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE). From their previous P40.0 billion budget, they will now be having a total of P51.0 billion this 2019. Such amount will be distributed among TESDA who will be receiving the P7.0 billion increase and P44.0 billion to the CHED.

DPWH and DOTr get an increase in budget

The administration, being persistent with its Build Build Build project, has allotted a total of P631.8 billion to its infrastructure departments. P555.7 billion was given to the Public Works Department (DPWH) which registers a 68.3% increase equivalent to P225.5B.

However, P76.1 billion is intended for the Transportation projects of the DOTr. The department bears an increase of 89.3% or 35.9 billion in total. Such an increase will address the need for dynamic and convenient mass transport systems all over the country, easing the lives of the Filipino commuters.

Out of the P555.7 billion of the DPWH, P113.3 billion is intended for network development from which P41.7 billion is for the by-pass and diversion roads construction. On the other hand, P56.7 billion is accounted for their asset preservation program aiming to preserve the good condition of the national roads all over the country.

Under the Build Build Build program, here are some of the major infrastructure investments of the department:

  1. The first subway of the country, the 35-km Metro Manila Subway Project Phase 1 for P1.5 billion
  2. PNR North 1 from Tutuban to Malolos (formerly North-South Commuter Railway Project Phase I) for P14.0 billion
  3. PNR South Commuter from Solis to Los Baños (formerly North-South Rail Project Phase II) for P1.4 billion
  4. Mindanao Railway Project for P2.9 billion
  5. Catbalogan Airport in Samar for P450 million
  6. Davao International Airport for P315 million
  7. Central Mindanao (M’lang) Airport for P92 million
  8. Siargao Airport for P500 million

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Department of Defense gets P183.4 billion

This is followed by the Defense sector (DND) coming in at fourth with a total budget of P183.4 billion, an increase of P46.9 billion, or 34.4%. Given such amount, the government is looking forward to boosting security and promoting peace and order in the country.

Such budget also aims to strengthen the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): for the activation of the 55th Engineer Brigade and 5th Scout Ranger Battalion; for the purchasing of motor vehicles for the Philippine Navy (PN); and lastly, for the construction and the development of their training support facilities.

DSWD gets a higher budget for the 4P program

Social Welfare is at a fifth of the ladder. Its budget is composed of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the budget for Unconditional Cash Transfers under the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

The DSWD acquired an allocation of P173.3 billion, higher by P8.9 billion or 5.4%. P 136.8 billion is intended for the implementation and support of the “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” (4Ps) that will supplement cash grants to a total of 4.4 million households.

Aiming to support the poverty-reduction efforts and social protection programs of the government such as feeding programs for1,881,979 daycare children for the budget of P3.5 billion.

Affordable and accessible healthcare

Health comes in at sixth which combines the budget of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), with a total allocation of P141.4 billion.

The budget will enable the government to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to Filipinos.

The 8.9% decrease from last year’s budget is due to a significant cut in the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), giving way to fast-moving and implementation-ready projects given the cash-based budgeting system that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is implementing now.

Still, a total of P15.2 billion from the budget will be allotted for the purchasing of drugs, medicines and vaccines, as well as medical and laboratory supplies to be distributed to different healthcare facilities all over the country.

Thus, another P7.5 billion shall cover the full immunization of children, and the other P3 billion is for the control, elimination, and prevention of various infectious diseases such as leprosy, malaria, tuberculosis and the likes.

Other items on the budget

Completing the 10 departments are the Agriculture Department (DA) earning the eighth spot, the Judiciary at ninth, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at tenth.

The agriculture department (DA) has a total budget of P49.8 billion, greater by 22.4%, which is tantamount to P9.1 billion. It aims to promote agricultural development and enhance the lives specifically of those in the rural sector.

Projects such as an increase in output for both rice production and fishing (aquaculture, commercial and municipal) are expected. P12.0 billion will be allocated for other national agricultural programs such as prioritizing farmers of items such as corn, High-Value Crops Development, Organic Agriculture and Livestock, and rice and also poor farmers and fishermen registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture as to what is identified in the latest official poverty statistics from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The Judiciary branch of the government will be receiving a budget of P37.3 billion. This represents a 5.4% increase totaling to P1.9 billion intended for the abrupt and equitable administration of justice in the country.

Lastly, the ARMM is allocated with P32.3 billion, 32.4% higher than last year with a 7.9 billion budget increase. It is intended to support the livelihood, peace and order, and rural development projects in the region. Such budget will help sustain the projects of the ARMM community which includes:

  1. ARMM: Bangsamoro Regional Inclusive Development Program for Sustainable Growth and Equity (ARMM-BRIDGE)
  2. ARMM: Health
  3. ARMM: Education
  4. ARMM: Livelihood
  5. ARMM: Peace
  6. ARMM: Synergy
  7. ARMM: HELPS Program