GOVPH

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved yesterday, 3 October 2022, the release of a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P1.04 billion to the Department of Health (DOH) to cover the special risk allowance (SRA) of eligible public and private health workers involved in COVID-19 health care response. The P1.04 billion will cover unpaid COVID-19 SRA claims of 55,211 health workers, who shall receive a grant amounting to P5,000 for every month they are serving during the period of state of national emergency. “We understand and recognize the selflessness and immense sacrifice that our health workers continue to pour out throughout these turbulent times. Isa po itong paraan sa pagkilala sa kanilang sakripisyo,” DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said. Qualified health workers refer to medical, allied medical, and other personnel assigned in hospitals and health care facilities, and who are directly catering to or in contact with COVID-19 patients, persons under investigation (PUIs) or persons under monitoring (PUMs). The release of funding for COVID-19 SRA is pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 11494, known as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which...

OPENING STATEMENT Commission on Appointments Hearing September 28, 2022     Mr. Chair, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri; Mr. Vice Chair, Representative Ramon Guico Jr.; Representative Luis Raymond Villafuerte; and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, and the rest of the members of this honorable Commission, good morning. I am honored to appear before the members of the Commission on Appointments, for the opportunity to humbly submit myself to the process of confirmation of my appointment as Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). This is an especially meaningful moment for me as I started my public service career in these halls. I have great respect and admiration for the senate as an institution, having spent more than ten years in the upper house: first as senate researcher then as chief-of-staff of the late Senator Edgardo Angara, whom the Senate fondly called SEJA. I consider those years formative to my now almost two decades of service in government. I learned the intricacies of the budget process especially when he was Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and then later when I worked for Senator Loren Legarda when she also served as Chairman of the same...

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allocated P15.2 Billion to the newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP). This is in line with the Marcos administration's commitment to uphold the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and ensure the efficient delivery of services and assistance to OFWs. DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman noted that the administration steadfastly recognizes the contribution of our OFWs to our economy. “Our OFWs are our modern day heroes. We honor their sacrifices, as they work hard to uplift the lives of their families and to enhance our country’s economy through their remittances," Secretary Pangandaman said. The Budget Secretary added that the DBM is in full support of the President’s advocacy for the betterment of our OFWs' condition. "We know and feel the difficulties our kababayans face by being far from their loved ones and we continue to ensure that they will be afforded with the appropriate support they need,” DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman added. Out of the aforementioned amount, Php 3.5 billion is earmarked for the DMW’s Office of the Secretary, of which, 77% or Php 2.7...